Once again MLK Weekend reminds us of the struggle and sacrifices Dr. King endured in order to make a difference in America and the World.

I was thinking about the advances we’ve made towards the realization of King’s “dream”. Certainly there’s plenty of good news to report.

• President Barak Obama has taken numerous challenges as President head-on and while there’s a lot he needs to get done quickly, he’s head and shoulders above anyone the Republican Party has fielded to run against him in 2012 so far.
• Here in New York African Americans continue breaking new ground on Broadway and entertainment including Alicia Key’s supported and critically acclaimed play “Stickfly”. And the fiction drama imagining Dr. King’s last night alive, “Mountaintop” has extended it’s run. Also just getting underway, a newly revised version of the famous George Gershwin Opera “Porgy & Bess” is poised for success, directed by the young, and amazingly talented African American Suzan-Lori Parks.
• Black spending power in America is quickly approaching One Trillion Dollars! It’s an astonishing feat that puts a large chunk of the U.S. economy in our hands. On the other side of the coin however the distance to victory seems at times like we haven’t left the starting line;
• African American unemployment is nearly “double” the overall National average. Some analysts place our rate as high as 16.7 percent when the National average overall is closer to 8 percent. Meantime; Federal, State and Local non-profit programs seeking to bridge the gap continue to be first on the chopping block when budgets run short.
• Gun violence in predominately African American neighborhoods from New Orleans to Brooklyn is once again on the rise. And due to lax laws along with lobbying from the National Rifle Association, guns are easier to come by than ever. Last year for instance, law enforcement officials traced an astonishing 2500 gun crimes in Inner-City Washington DC to ONE Southern Maryland gun store.
• Public Schools in predominately Black communities Nationwide continue to lag behind. Access to a quality, diverse education for every American remains far from being realized outside of a few bright spots. And while charter schools have been touted as a solution in lower-income areas, results continue to be mixed at best.
• Health Care remains another obstacle. Diabetes, Hypertension, Obesity and HIV/AIDS continue to disproportionally impact our communities. Health insurance costs, outdated hospitals and clinics combined with a lack of quality grocery stores in many urban areas continue to devastate many.
• And while we’re making all this money, not much is being invested back into our communities. We need more minority business including construction, retail and financial institutions that will actually “loan” money. And we MUST own a piece of the “digital” universe. Hi-tech companies that put the “smart” into smart phones, “apps” on our tablets, music to our ears and video to our eyes generate profits and create today’s greatest opportunities.
• We must continue to stand against racism and hate. It’s hard to believe that in 2012 we must contend with housing discrimination and predatory lending. We also must stand with our brothers and sisters of Jewish ethnicity who continue to fall victim to senseless hate crimes, most recently in Northern New Jersey where several families came home to Nazi symbols spray-painted on their homes. And popular area Rabbi Nosson Schuman suffered minor burns during a firebomb attempt on his home. How does this kind of hate continue to exist?

We’ve got plenty of work ahead of us. Dr. King’s dream is certainly an ongoing task, but one the human race is certainly capable of achieving. Each and every one of us possess gifts and talents that can close the gap. From mentoring to tutoring, from funding initiatives that make a difference to voting; this year let’s all find something we can do that will bring positive change wherever we see the need.
We haven’t forgotten you Dr. King. Your “Dream” indeed lives on. Once again MLK Weekend reminds us of the struggle and sacrifices Dr. King endured in order to make a difference in America and the World.
I was thinking about the advances we’ve made towards the realization of King’s “dream”. Certainly there’s plenty of good news to report.

We’ve got plenty of work ahead of us. Dr. King’s dream is certainly an ongoing task, but one the human race is certainly capable of achieving. Each and every one of us possess gifts and talents that can close the gap. From mentoring to tutoring, from funding initiatives that make a difference to voting; this year let’s all find something we can do that will bring positive change wherever we see the need.
We haven’t forgotten you Dr. King. Your “Dream” indeed lives on.