3 Ways You Can Make a Difference on MLK Day of Service
The
Martin Luther King, Jr., National Day of Service
is a defining moment each year when Americans across the country step up to make communities more equitable and take action to create the “Beloved Community” of Dr. King’s dream. While Dr. King believed the Beloved Community was possible, he acknowledged and fought for systemic change. His example is our call to action. This National Day of Service encourages companies, nonprofits and individuals to make a difference on MLK day.
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. Here’s how to make a difference on MLK day, taking place on January 15, 2024, regardless of whether you’re working solo, as part of a corporate team or with a nonprofit organization.
Things Companies Can Do for MLK Day
Companies have a unique opportunity to participate in MLK Day, both by encouraging employee engagement and addressing racism and bias in the workplace. First, be sure to put together an internal communications plan that encourages employees to get involved and notifies them leading up to the day. You may also opt to organize a corporate volunteer project for your team or give paid volunteer time off for this day. If you need help with your employee engagement efforts, Points of Light’s
Corporate Services & Solutions
can be a great resource.
If you haven’t hosted training or education on racism, bias and inequalities in the workplace, make an effort to implement this, starting with MLK Day. Acknowledge that discrimination still exists and open the floor for your employees to discuss
diversity in the workplace
. Start off with this
Listen. Learn. Act to End Racism conversation
featuring Bernice A. King, CEO of The King Center, that also offers additional resources for deeper learning.
Other ways you can help employees engage in this work might be centered around an educational opportunity, like a “Lunch and Learn,” to explore microaggressions, biases in communication and more. It could be a meeting that allows for challenging conversations about identity. Or it could be an all-staff email that recognizes the existence of discrimination and reiterates an open-door policy to address these issues with management.
How Nonprofits Can Support MLK Day
Nonprofit organizations
can utilize MLK Day to spark engagement among employees and volunteers alike in a variety of ways. Your nonprofit might run a donation drive, host an event at a food bank or shelter, or run a campaign for donors to give to a specific cause related to dismantling racism and discrimination.
If your organization hasn’t yet, consider adding your volunteer opportunities to
Points of Light Engage
, the world’s largest digital volunteer network. This collection of volunteer opportunities from sites across the web provides the most comprehensive database of volunteer opportunities in the world. Additionally, you can browse the
Points of Light Global Network
to find a nonprofit partner near you to see what
events
they have planned for this day.
Ways for Individuals to Make an Impact on MLK Day
Volunteering is an effective way to create the change you wish to see in your community. Head over to
Points of Light Engage
to get started. It’s a place that connects individuals to hundreds of thousands of volunteer opportunities — in person and virtual — all just waiting for the right volunteer to step up.
You can also check out Points of Light’s collection of
DIY projects
to find a project you can complete in your spare time. And don’t forget that even the smallest act of service, like caring for a sick loved one or picking up your elderly neighbor’s mail, counts as civic engagement and can create a ripple of positive impact in your own backyard and beyond.
The Urgency of Now
“We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history, there “is” such a thing as being too late. This is no time for apathy or complacency. This is a time for vigorous and positive action.”
– Martin Luther King Jr.
While the new year is a marker for a fresh start, it’s also a time to reflect on where we need to double down on the tough work that’s already underway. The “fierce urgency of now” that Dr. King talks about is precisely why, at Points of Light, we know that’s what we must do.
The world faces continued rapid change and challenges. According to the
Global State of Democracy
, a publication by International IDEA, half the world’s democracies are in retreat, and the number of democracies has stagnated. Even in solidly democratic countries, there’s been little innovation in systems or structure.
Just last week, the United States House of Representatives was unable to function, as politics took precedence and held up the selection of a majority leader and, therefore, all of the important work of that chamber. Abroad, we see threats against free speech and democracy, like the jailing of Istanbul’s mayor and the refusal to concede elections in Brazil and Fiji.
It’s no wonder that a growing distrust remains the trend. The
Edelman Trust Barometer
shows governments are one of the least trusted institutions, with only 42% of people saying they trust government leaders.
At Points of Light, we’ve been thinking about our role in democracy. Last fall, at a
gathering on the subject
, one of our guests, Eric Liu, CEO of Citizen University, said, “Democracy is a game of infinite, repeat play.” Which means no one is ever “winning” democracy. It’s ongoing, living in all of us – the power of people.
Democracy is a system, and like any system, it can be improved upon to ensure we’re meeting everyone’s needs. The
Points of Light Civic Circle
® is a framework that can help change a system for the better. It’s an onramp to engage people who aren’t quite sure how to get involved, and a way to deepen engagement for those who are purposefully engaged.
Just like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. led Black Americans and others advocating for equality to use their power in multiple ways – through their purchase power during the bus boycotts, using their voices in peaceful protest, registering voters despite being met with challenges, disputes and loopholes – we need to combine our actions to accelerate the change we want to see.
It’s a strategy that is sticky as evidenced in Points of Light’s
2022
Global Civic Engagement Research
that showed that on the issue of civil rights, racial discrimination and social justice, people are still using their power through multiple actions. Of those who said they took action in this issue area, 77% said they took the time to listen and learn about the issues, 68% used their voice to share information about the issues; and 66% volunteered.
This year, Points of Light is looking at how we can combine and maximize the Civic Circle actions and work with our stakeholders to create change. What would it look like to use the Civic Circle to create a more equitable society?
Derrick Feldmann, founder of the Millennial Impact Project and researcher at Cause & Social Influence, recently shared that people must feel secure about their basic needs – defined as health, transportation and employment – to then move beyond survival mode and care about a social issue outside themselves.
While these are deeply complex issues, we cannot have a strong democracy without a healthy, equitable society. Could we use the Civic Circle to address health equity, as a means of strengthening democracy? These are questions we’re exploring. There is an urgency to answer them, and the moment is now.
What is your urgent question and how is it connected to a strong, vibrant democracy? Are you leveraging your power by combining multiple actions to make progress toward an answer and a solution?
Because that is what democracy is about – the power of people working together to create the change we want to see.
Diane Quest is the interim president and CEO of Points of Light. She has served as an executive leader at the organization since 2016, and brings 20 years experience in nonprofit and social impact organizations leading strategy, external affairs, partnerships, events and crisis communications.
