 Message to the Community:
THE OPPORTUNITY COMPACT
by Bernett L. Williams, President and CEO
The fortieth anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. has prompted much reflection on his life and teachings. Questions tend to follow these moments of reflection. Questions such as, “Would Dr. King be pleased with where the African American community is today?”, “Is there still a Civil Rights Movement in America?” and “Who is the leader of that movement today?” What wonderful questions with which to stoke the embers of conversation about race, progress and responsibility.
We at the Urban League know the answers to these questions. Of course Dr. King would be pleased with many of the social, political and economic freedoms achieved by minorities in the United States. He would grieve, however, at the undercurrents that pull a society out to sea by its feet; such as the devaluation of education, rampant violence, and weakened families—factors often attributable to joblessness and poverty. Dr. King’s voice and activism, first focused on the plight of black Americans in the South, later targeted what he felt were unjust uses of power against the powerless (i.e. the Vietnam War and the economic disparity among Americans). The war in Vietnam ended long after King’s death, but economic inequality still plagues our communities.
A civil and social rights movement is alive and well in the work of the Urban League. Take the time to read the National Urban League’s Opportunity Compact: Blueprint for Economic Equality (found on our websites) which identifies principles that reflect the values inherent in the American dream - the cornerstones of which are (1)The Opportunity to Thrive (Children), (2) The Opportunity to Earn (Jobs), (3) The Opportunity to Own (Housing), and (4) The Opportunity to Prosper (Entrepreneurship). Compare these to the list of programs offered at the Akron Urban League and decide for yourself if our work is a continuation of that historical movement.
Make this Compact your own! We are the leaders of the movement now. Our activity or inactivity will make or break its progress. Instead of asking what Congress can or should do to support this effort, ASK YOURSELF what you can do. Your answer may be that you have hours to volunteer or expertise to share. You may have financial resources to invest or influence you can bring to bear within the community. Perhaps your gift is a voice that sensitizes people to the plight of others. Decide today what you can give and join us in this continuing civil rights movement.
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