Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
On January 16, our nation unites to celebrate the life and legacy of the great Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose powerful legacy and message of love and unity ring true today more than ever.
A tireless advocate for racial equality, working classes, and the oppressed, Dr. King was a civil rights leader and catalyst for systemic change through nonviolent activism. As noted by The King Center, Dr. King took inspiration from his Christian faith and the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi, and “used the power of words and acts of nonviolent resistance, such as protests, grassroots organizing, and civil disobedience to achieve seemingly impossible goals.” His leadership during the American Civil Rights Movement was pivotal in achieving Congress’s passage of the Civil Rights Act, eliminating legalized racial segregation in the US, and passage of the Voting Rights Act, eliminating barrier to voting for African-Americans.
MLK Day is the only federal holiday that is also designated by Congress as a national day of service, featuring the motto “A day on, not a day off.” In commemoration of Dr. King’s example, and in pursuit the Beloved Community he dreamed of, this day encourages all Americans to volunteer in their communities to bring positive, meaningful change. As Coretta Scott King once reflected, “The greatest birthday gift my husband could receive is if people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds celebrated the holiday by performing individual acts of kindness through service to others.”
Here at Enterprise Bank, we are proud of the culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion that we have fostered. Our company was founded on the core principles of fairness, equality, respect, inclusion, and love, and we understand that it is our responsibility to turn those principles into meaningful action.
This year, several members of our Bank are serving on the planning team for the Living the Dream Partners’ Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration, filling positions such as event Co-chair and Programming Team Leader, and volunteering on various sub-teams. For those interested in attending this wonderful event, please RSVP at your earliest convenience. It will be held on Monday, January 16 at the Middlesex Community College (MCC) Richard and Nancy L. Donahue Family Academic Arts Center in downtown Lowell.
Enterprise bankers will also be serving as facilitators alongside other Greater Lowell community members at the National Day of Racial Healing Program hosted by the Middlesex Community College Center for Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation. The event, which aims to build our collective capacity toward racial equity and justice, will be held on Tuesday, January 17. All are invited to attend and to RSVP as soon as possible.
In the decades since the work of Dr. King, our country has made great strides toward creating a more just and equitable world; however, there is always more work to be done. As we continue to struggle with the racism, discrimination, inequity, and injustice that stain our society, we can and must do better.
It is my hope that all of us—as individuals, families, businesses, communities, and a nation—continue to honor Dr. King’s legacy, today and every day, by coming together as we work towards a brighter and more equitable future for all.
Jack Clancy
CEO, Enterprise Bank