MLK Day To Me — Dr. Mike Sevilla

As an Asian-American man, I do not pretend to know what it’s like to be a Black man today. And, I do not pretend to know what it was like to be Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr in the 1950s and 1960s. All I know about that time is what I have seen in television and on the internet. So, on this national holiday, where we, as a nation, are asked to remember this man and his message. And, it’s so frustrating, because I feel that whatever I say, will be interpreted through a political lens. And, in the polarizing world, holidays like this is another opportunity for the political partisans to take verbal shots at each other. Do other people feel that way? I guess each year, I try to read and learn a little bit more about MLK’s life other than the 1963 March on Washington and the iconic “I Have A Dream Speech.” I know that this man is so much more than this snapshot in time. But, the emotions generated when I read about those events, and placed in the context of the world at that time - just inspiring. So, I hope people think of MLK day a more of a day of work or a day of school. In today’s world of COVID, the message of MLK still resonates and gives me hope for the future. Thank you for reading this, and I hope you have good start of the week...