Let’s celebrate through our actions and words year round

COEUR d'ALENE — The annual King holiday observance, this year Monday, Jan. 15, is a time that we celebrate, commemorate and honor the life, legacy and impact of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. That is not meant to be restricted to just one day, but rather to be a reminder to share opportunities to learn, grow and unite in the celebration, study and practice of Dr. King's philosophies and principles every day of the year.

“As we witness nations around the world continue to struggle under the weight of violence, hate and poverty, today’s social, political and economic landscape reveals the urgent necessity of Dr. King’s philosophy and methodology of nonviolence,” says the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change. Created by Mrs. Coretta Scott King in 1968, the King Center is a traditional memorial and programmatic nonprofit offering resources and training in MLK’s Methodology of Nonviolence.   

The Human Rights Education Institute in Coeur d’Alene participates year-round in programming and observance events that share MLK’s Methodology of Nonviolence in bullying prevention education such as the Upstander Model and inclusive community campaigns promoting kindness such as Love Lives Here CDA. These examples of work serve as a compass for all outreach work HREI and other similar educational institutions across the nation are committed to throughout the year.

“The commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr. comes at a time when the world faces multiple wars and heightened hate and discrimination towards the other,” said Whitney Pfeiffer, HREI board president. “It's a stark reminder that the oppression MLK sought to dismantle is alive and requires consistent action and response now. As MLK so eloquently said, ‘We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now.’ Today is the day to move beyond evoking MLK's quotes, and rather putting them into action.” 

King asked, “Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'"

MLK Day is the only federal holiday designated as a National Day of Service to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities. During the last quarter century, the MLK Day of Service has grown, and its impact increased as more Americans embraced the idea that citizenship involves taking an active role in improving communities.

“MLK Day is important as it is a reminder of the strides we have made toward equality and civil rights,” said Zoȅ O’Brien, former HREI student board member and a Lake City High School graduate now attending the University of Montana. “I think now more than ever it is also a reminder of the work that we need to be active in every day to make our communities stronger. Segregation was not the end to racism, but the beginning of the work towards an anti-racist culture. We do this through reflection on our own biases, reflecting on the way our communities are structured as well as our workplaces, social groups, etc."

O'Brien said reflecting, donating and advocating is "daily work that doesn't need to be seemingly revolutionary or monumental." 

"Through educating ourselves and our peers, and understanding our neighbors a little more every day," O'Brien said, "We can honor MLK and all of the other incredible leaders who have fought hard for where we are today.”

So how do we put these ideas into action?  

• Engage with your community and organizations like HREI to create constructive action.

• Act on Dr. King’s legacy of social justice and equity. 

• Recommit by volunteering to serve others. You can clean up a public space, mentor a young person, or help those who are food insecure.

“The Aryan Nation compound was given up in 2001 after a 27-year occupation in Hayden. It has only been two decades since it was closed down. Although many of us like to believe that because the compound was closed down white supremacy no longer exists in northern Idaho, many of us who have grown up in the Panhandle know otherwise,” O’Brien said. “Coeur d’Alene is a beautiful place, every time I visit my friends and family, I relish in the beauty of the mountains and lake, but I also remember the uglier parts like when a swastika was burnt into my high school football field. I remember white supremacist flyers in clothing displays at local boutiques and hidden in newspaper stacks. I also remember racist remarks made toward some of my closest friends in public spaces. Without us acknowledging our recent history and having conversations around accountability and responsibility to grow from it, Coeur d’Alene struggles to become an equitable and inclusive community.”

Local musical artist Max Daniels, a Nu Jack City band member and regular performer at HREI, often shares his story of being a young Black American in military uniform on the front lines of the Aryan marches in downtown Coeur d’Alene. “MLK day represents the fight for equality, justice and unity in the community,” Daniels said. “HREI is a true representation of what this day means. It was important that my family shared this experience with HREI annually and continues to learn this beautiful message, securing justice and equality for us all and nourishing the beauty of what we all have to offer for the common good. We should all focus on the fundamentals of truth and stay consistent regarding human dignity. HREI focuses on the positive aspects of community growth and education, while examining more difficult topics that need greater attention, advocacy and support. There are many great things happening here.”

Founded in 1998, the Human Rights Education Institute offers proactive educational programs that teach human rights, acceptance, respect for diversity and cultural humility. Its programs, activities, and events seek to reduce racial prejudice and increase understanding of human rights in the Inland Northwest.