January 16th marks the day the United States celebrates the life and work of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This year, the King Center is focused on cultivating a beloved community mindset to “transform unjust systems where injustice ends and love prevails.”
Dr. King is most known for his work on civil rights here in the United States but, as his thinking evolved throughout his career, his work expanded to include a vision for all of humanity and for the entire planet. In his famous sermon delivered Christmas Eve of 1967, King noted that “It really boils down to this: that all life is interrelated. . .This is the way our universe is structured, this is its interrelated quality. We aren’t going to have peace on earth until we recognize this basic fact of the interrelated structure of all reality.”
As with many things, Dr. King was ahead of his time, drawing connections between people and planet, racism and environmental concerns before we, as a nation, were talking about those issues.
More than 55 years after his sermon, we still strive to understand and live out the words and vision of Dr. King. Here at The Conservation Alliance, we seek to ground our work and investments in projects that are inclusive, community focused and seek the protection of wild places and outdoor spaces – knowing that care for the outdoors makes our communities stronger and provides for future generations.
In addition, the wisdom and guidance of the Confluence Committee has served as the foundation of our efforts to connect with and support racially excluded people, communities and organizations. But we know this is just the beginning, as these efforts take time, intention and – in the words of the King Center – cultivation.
We hope that one day our efforts will help transform unjust systems such that injustice ends and love prevails. And in some small way, our investments will help further Dr. King’s vision for a just and peaceful world that fully recognizes the interrelated structure of all.
