Honoring the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
This month, we honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Day is quietly observed in many workplaces, but organizations that successfully find ways to celebrate the spirit and legacy of this civil rights leader create greater opportunities for awareness around DEI issues.
Dr. King did so much to raise consciousness of race, racism, equity, and equality—not to mention empathy, humanity, and communication—and lay the groundwork for the conversations that have brought us to where we are today.
"I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear."
~Martin Luther King, Jr.
Some companies hold a Day of Service to recognize Martin Luther King Day, while others send an email reflecting on the impact of his words and actions or take a moment of silence in a Town Hall. While every recognition of this leader provides opportunities for connection and understanding, the spirit of his message is strong enough to sustain a year-long commitment to increasing service. We encourage organizations to maximize their recognition of this day by giving back to communities that need support through charitable donations.
At IBIS, we support nonprofits through pro bono DEI consulting, and we also find different ways to make financial donations to charities throughout the year. Here are a few approaches we use to make financial donations:
Employees celebrate their birthdays by directing a donation from IBIS to a nonprofit of their choice.
Donations are made toward employees engaging in charitable challenges like organized rides.
Local scholarships are funded for students in DEI fields.
As a firm, we use an app called Charity Miles that engages participants in walking, biking, and hiking to log miles that add up to an overall goal of financial support from the company. We use staff meeting time to discuss our progress and cheer each other on!
This year, our Charity Miles nonprofit recipient was FOKAL, a relief organization funding efforts to support Haiti.
"True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice."
~Martin Luther King, Jr.
Thank you, Dr. Martin Luther King, for the example you set for us today and every day. Your legacy lives on.
What is your organization doing for Martin Luther King Day? Send us your insights, comments, examples, and questions!
