Celebrating King Amidst Covid
by Kellen E. Brandon
MLK Day will certainly look different for most of us this year. COVID-19 has provided challenges for just about every routine we were accustom to performing. We may have taken for granted our ability to gather and provide service, insight, and enjoyment for ourselves. But as we’ve shown ourselves throughout the year 2020—we can adjust, and MLK Day is no different. The difficulties created by COVID-19 in regard to the ways we go about living our lives, does not provide permission to bring service to a halt. We can most definitely accomplish all of the items listed above; safely and powerfully. No matter where you are in the world, there are a few things you can do to make your MLK Day 2021 worthwhile. I’ve listed some ideas below, check them out!
Create Safe Community Projects (Meal Service)
MLK Day is about service(and honoring the mindfulness of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.), let’s make sure we’re doing just that. A starting point, could be, checking with your local community organizations about meal services. If there isn’t a group near you hosting a food drive, suggest that they do so. It can totally be pulled together by 1/18/21. There is no reason we cannot execute these types of services within COVID-19, despite what you may be apprehensive about.
Food insecurity has become an even larger issue during this pandemic. Unemployment rates run rapid, and youth are increasingly experiencing an inability to receive free or reduced lunch (via school lunch programming and childcare services) consistently. Community organizations as well as local business can also assist by hosting blood drives, constructing safe masks, or creating care packages for community members in need.
You can also search sites such as nationalservice.org to find volunteer opportunities in your community
Offer/Host Free Virtual Educational Opportunities
MLK Day is the perfect opportunity to assist in progressing the education of community members on issues of racism and human rights. Utilize virtual meeting apps to host virtual discussions on topics like police brutality, voting rights, gentrification, or criminal justice reform. Be sure to allow someone who is knowledgeable on the topic to lead and/or facilitate the conversation (activist, community organizer).
Another virtual meeting app you may find useful is Teleparty. Schedule a meeting with friends to watch a film/documentary and have a progressive conversation about it after. Here’s a list of pictures currently on Netflix that may assist you:
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: A Historical Perspective
Eyes On The Prize: America’s Civil Rights
Brother Outsider: The Life Of Bayard Rustin
13th: Thought Provoking Documentary Analyzing The Criminalization of African Americans
There are also some online courses you could suggest to friends who are not persons of color. I’ve listed two below.
-KB