This Martin Luther King Jr. Day, College Possible Omaha’s annual tradition of volunteering in the community, faced an unexpected obstacle, extreme winter weather. The freezing temperatures and icy conditions forced our site to postpone the day of service until later this spring. However, the setback didn’t deter the team from embracing the spirit of the day. Instead, we spent the morning engaged in a reflective session led by College Possible’s director of diversity, equity and inclusion, Wayne Felton.
Felton guided the College Possible Omaha team through a meaningful discussion on the enduring impact of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the ways in which we can carry on his legacy. A central theme of the conversation was dignity; dignity for our coaches, dignity for the students we serve, and dignity for ourselves.
Referencing a pivotal moment in history, Felton brought up the Memphis sanitation workers’ strike of 1968, during which Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. emphasized, “All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity.” Drawing a parallel to the work of AmeriCorps members at College Possible, Felton’s presentation underscored the inherent dignity in serving students and assisting them on their journey toward personal growth and success.
College Possible primarily serves students from low-income backgrounds, recognizing the transformative power of education in breaking the chains of poverty. We believe that a college degree encourages sustainable, long-term growth opportunities and multi-generational success, and we are dedicated to empowering students to achieve their goals and dreams.
Reflecting on the exercise, senior development director Melissa Valek shares, “This year’s observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was thought provoking to say the least. Wayne Felton did a phenomenal job pushing us to look beyond what we thought we already knew about Dr. King and really examine his words and actions. Wayne’s focus on the word ‘dignity’ really struck me—the dignity to vote, the dignity to work, the dignity to live outside of poverty. Wow. Isn’t that why we do what we do? Everyone, no matter who you are or where you come from deserves that dignity: to live a choice filled life with hope for a better future.”
As College Possible Omaha reschedules its day of service for later this spring, we remain committed to the values instilled by Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., values of dignity, equality, and service to uplift humanity.
