Martin Luther King, Jr delivered his famous I Have A Dream speech almost 44 years ago on August 23rd, 1963. The speech detailed a vision that he had for America. A vision of freedom for all, but in particular a dream of freedom for black people in America. How many of us are taking the opportunity to live that dream?

Today, I participated in the MLK day celebrations in my city for the first time. As a foreigner, I never understood the depth of the civil rights movement. Quite honestly, I still don’t. As I marched with hundreds of other people in my city of all racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds, what struck me was the lost meaning of the march. It seemed as though, those of us 30-something and younger were going through the motions of the day. We had lost the meaning of the celebration.

Martin Luther King, Jr was killed before he turned 40 for an ideal that he held dear. He was not the only one that lost his life for the idea of freedom and equality for all. Today, I dare say, that the mechanics of his dream have been achieved, but we need to take up the reigns to live the essence of it.

So today I have a dream. A dream that each one of us would be aware of the freedom that we already have as a result of many lives lost for it. I have a dream that we take responsibility for that freedom and live our fullest life to honor it. A dream that we do not shy away from our potential, but that we embrace it and we shine. A dream that we lay to rest our addiction to struggling and break free of our imaginary shackles.

Today, I challenge you to live your dreams, to give birth to them, to bring them into full expression, to live an opulent life, and to share your passion and Spirit with the world.

Let freedom ring within your soul.

In Spirit,
Nneka