On the shoulders of Kings

My father was at the 1963 March on Washington, and he got to hear Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have a dream" speech in person. It's really his tale to recount, but I've listened to it many times...how my dad got on a charter bus in New York heading to DC, and how he and the other passengers had no idea if anyone else would show up to the march at all. And as they got closer and closer, they began seeing more and more charter buses along the interstate, until finally as they reached the nation's capital, they could see nothing around them BUT buses.

This past weekend, I got to hear another King speak. In celebration of the fortieth anniversary of the passing of Title IX, my family and I went to the Charles M. Schulz museum and listened to tennis great Billie Jean King speak about her efforts to fight sexism, and to promote women and girls' participation in sports. When asked about what skills she thinks it takes in order for one to be a successful leader, King mentioned nurturing the following qualities:

1. never stop learning.
2. relationships are everything.
3. keep looking for answers; keep striving to solve problems.

It was emotional for me, to be able to sit with my daughter on the weekend we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.'s life, and to hear from another pioneer in civil rights. And it reminded me that, for all of us who come after these great leaders, it's our job to never forget the shoulders on which we stand, and it's our job to keep fighting for those who still don't have the same liberties and freedoms that we do.

So happy MLK day and happy 40 years of Title IX!