MLK Day meant for service, not sloth

In 1994, Congress made Martin Luther King, Jr. Day a national day of service rather than a federal holiday.

Despite this designation, D’Andre Curtis, president of the Black Student Union, said not everyone recognizes the day’s purpose beyond an extra day of winter break. This year, it falls on Monday, Jan. 16.

“I feel like nowadays, the ancestral umbilical cord is being cut to the younger generations,” he said. “So it means so much more to me to instill in them what our ancestors had to go through.”

Curtis said people have become so absorbed in their own lives that they often neglect to take the time and appreciate the people who fought to better the lives of future Americans.

“If you think about time and finances all the time, you’re kind of losing out on the most important things in life,” he said. “Things like the MLK walk and other things that support culture and heritage are less valued because it’s not on that person’s time or it’s not benefiting that person or they’re not getting money for it.”

Mark Worthy, graduate assistant for African American Student Services, said he lived in the Netherlands for 18 years and came back to Albuquerque two and a half years ago. He said he was fascinated by the impact Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had beyond the United States, evidenced by things like German, French, Dutch and Belgian radio announcements acknowledging the holiday.

“What he was able to demonstrate as a learned individual was that he could speak to anyone, regardless of background, ethnicity, or gender,” he said. “When you have individuals who are interested in substantial, active social change and the recognition that other members of society have different views, I think that says a great deal.”

Worthy said he was present for the 1963 March on Washington, where he witnessed the diverse range of people Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was able to bring together because the ideals he promoted saw no boundaries.

At last year’s MLK walk, Curtis said there was a similar feeling of unification of people from all backgrounds. Because the Civil Rights Movement had an impact on all communities, he said he would like to see changes made that would bring people of all backgrounds together throughout the year.

“We need to understand each other as a whole,” he said. “If we’re all human beings, we’re all brothers and sisters like we say we are and we all care for one another and respect each other as human beings, why not as a culture respect another person’s culture?”

MLK walk
Sunday, Jan. 15
1 p.m.
Martin Luther King Ave. and University Blvd.