 On Saturday, January 19, 29 AmeriCorps members, alumni and friends in Washington, DC gathered for a Martin Luther King Jr Day of Service afternoon of reflection. At the event, titled "Civil Rights Then and Now: Martin Luther King Jr., Michelle Alexander, and Us," participants heard two civil rights speeches, one given by Dr. King and the second by contemporary civil rights activist, Michelle Alexander. We drew parallels between 1960s-era struggles for civil rights and voting access for African-Americans to modern-day struggles for formerly incarcerated people to access those same civil rights today. In discussion, members related the two activists' words to their own experiences in their placements - and shared insights they had learned this year on how to serve in a way that honors Dr. King's vision. It was a great networking opportunity for members, and many reported meeting new AmeriCorps members serving in different programs while doing similar service.
The event was co-hosted by Discipleship Year and Loretto Volunteers, and also included participants from CapCorps, Christ House, Bon Secours Volunteer Ministry, Lutheran Volunteer Corps and Westmoreland Volunteer Corps.
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