Amidst a sea of gray clouds and freezing temperatures, early on the morning of January 16 the sun was not missed. Standing among hundreds of people armed with umbrellas, wrapped in brightly colored scarves, hats, and gloves united for a single cause, the warmth of the sun was felt in human form. The bubbling of voices grew and grew as more people arrived in the parking lot of Sacramento City College. Some with banners illustrated the iconic image of the day Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous “I Have A Dream” speech. Others wore T-shirts with the words of the man and the reason we were all ready to march nearly 4 miles in his memory.
Amidst a hustle and bustle of presenters going up and down the stage and briefly presenting their speeches, I remember someone saying:
“They may cut all the flowers but they can’t stop the spring.”
As we marched, I could hear the lively laughter of the people around me amidst the blaring music. It was in those moments that I reflected on the rebellious nature of flowers and the inevitability of a vernal dream.
Martin Luther King Jr, the man who once dreamed of a future both free and equitable has not only passed that dream on to his people. But in his legacy, he has awakened a desire to watch, listen and learn among other peoples, like my own. So today, I invite you to do the same. Here are two great books about the life and dream of Martin Luther King.
Entre un mar de nubes grises y temperaturas congelantes, temprano en la mañana del 16 de Enero el sol no hacía falta. Parada entre centenares de personas armadas con paraguas, bien arropadas en bufandas, gorras y guantes de colores brillantes unidas por una sola causa, se hacía sentir el calor del sol en forma humana. El burbujeo de voces crecía y crecía entre más gente llegaba al estacionamiento del Sacramento City College. Algunos con pancartas ilustraban la icónica imagen del día en el que Martin Luther King Jr. dio su famoso discurso “Tengo Un Sueño”. Otros portaban camisetas con las palabras del hombre y la razón por la cual estábamos todos listos para marchar casi 4 millas en su memoria.
Entre un ajetreo de presentadores subiendo y bajando la tarima y brevemente presentando sus discursos, recuerdo que alguien dijo:
“Podrán cortar todas las flores pero no podrán detener la primavera.”
Al marchar, podía oír las risas vivaz de la gente a mi alrededor entre la música a todo volumen. Fue en esos momentos que reflexioné sobre la rebelde naturaleza de las flores y la inevitabilidad de un sueño vernal.
Martin Luther King Jr, el hombre que un día soñó con un futuro tanto libre como equitativo para su gente no solo ha transmitido ese sueño a su pueblo. Si no que en su legado, ha despertado el deseo de observar, escuchar y aprender entre otros pueblos. Así que hoy les invito a hacer lo mismo y les comparto dos libros sobre la vida y el sueño de Martin Luther King.
Martin Luther King escrito por María Isabel Sánchez Vegara ; ilustrado por Mai Ly
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