Tips for Connecting Your Project to Dr. King’s Legacy 

While all Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) Day of Service projects connect us to Dr. King’s legacy of service, it is important to create spaces where volunteers can reflect on, find deeper understanding of and learn how to continue his legacy around fighting injustice. Here are some ideas to incorporate more social justice content in your project. 

 

Introduction 

1.  Talk briefly about how the work of your organization and today’s project relate to social justice and racial equity. 

  • Who do you serve/what communities do you work in? What disparities are the most prominent within the communities you serve?  

         * Here are current statistics about the disparities within homelessness, education, and poverty.

         * Here is some information regarding environmental justice. 

  • What are your goals for this project? 
  • Reminder to volunteers: by donating your time today, you are already contributing to achieving social justice.

2.  Incorporate a quote/poem/speech excerpt into your introduction and reflect on how it relates to your work. Some examples of content include:

  • Excerpt from ‘I Have a Dream” by Martin Luther King, Jr.   
  • Excerpt from ‘The Other America” by Martin Luther King, Jr.
  • ‘Still I Rise’ by Maya Angelou 
  • ‘I, Too’ by Langston Hughes 

3.  You can also show a video clip. Here is a great Ted Talk that focuses on Social and Racial Justice or search the full Ted website for content that is relevant to your organization's work. 

4.  Invite volunteers to share why they’re participating in MLK Day of Service as part of introductions. 

 

During the project

1.  Have photos/quotes up of Martin Luther King, Jr. and other civil rights activists wherever appropriate.

2.  Display relevant infographics about racial disparities (see links above).

3.  Invite volunteers to discuss quotes such as the following: 

 

  • “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” 

            ― Martin Luther King, Jr.  

  • “Hate is too great a burden to bear. It injures the hater more than it injures the hated.” 

            ― Coretta Scott King 

  • “I would like to be remembered as a person who wanted to be free... so other people would be also free.” 

            ― Rosa Parks 

  • “If you tremble with indignation at every injustice then you are a comrade of mine.” 

            ―  Ernesto “Che” Guevara

          * Here are additional quote options.

 

Reflection 

1.  Leave a brief portion of time at the end of the project for a reflection (5-10 minutes).

  • Why did you serve today and how do you feel? 
  • What community need did your project address and what did you learn about this organization’s work? 
  • What are some ways you can continue to honor Dr. King throughout the year? 

2.  If possible, figure out the impact of your volunteers work and let them know the numbers at the end (I.e people fed, # of park visitors who will enjoy the space, amount of food packed, etc.).