As we prepare to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the MSR asked community members to reflect on how his work continues to influence their lives today.
Khulia Pringle, educator – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s profound question, “What are you doing for others?” challenges us to embrace service as a moral responsibility. His legacy reminds us that true leadership is rooted in uplifting our communities, addressing injustice, and creating opportunities for all. Dr. King understood the power of civil disobedience as a necessary tool to dramatize injustice, awaken public consciousness, and push for meaningful change. I’m committed to honoring his vision by fostering collaboration, empowering families, and advocating for equity. His life inspires us to serve with compassion, courage, and unwavering dedication to justice.
Maria Sorensen, Career Coordinator, Sabathani Community Center – To me, celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Day is a moment to honor the legacy of a man who fought for justice, equality, and the dignity of all people. I believe for my community this day represents hope, unity and resilience. And as an African American woman, this day reinforces my pride and my responsibility that I have every day. It’s a reminder that the freedoms I enjoy were hard won, and it encourages me to honor those sacrifices by using my voice to live with purpose and to contribute to my community’s progress.
Russel Balenger, former Saint Paul City Council member, founder of Circle of Peace – When Dr. King was at the height of his career, I was in high school. At that time, we were talking about Black Power and the Black Panthers and what was going on in our community. As we were able to study the work of Martin Luther King, we realized what a great peacemaker he was. It’s the basis for my Circle of Peace movement. We want to have everyone’s voice at our circle; that comes from Dr. King. We know that his life goes on in us, but he should be here.
Pastor Curtis Farrar, senior pastor of Worldwide Outreach for Christ Ministries – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had a major influence on me wanting to serve my community and continue to serve these 45 years. His commitment and dedication to serving the rights of the people spoke volumes to me. To this day, I am still impressed and impacted by his courage, and commitment to God and to the people. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a titan of the Civil Rights Movement, transcending the boundaries of race and social injustice to be a beacon of hope and a catalyst for profound social change.
Kelina Morgan, vp of housing services of Sabathani Community Center – One of the ways Dr. King is most impactful for me was his willingness to risk all for what he believed in — and to live that out, no matter what that would entail for him — to impact the rest of the world and the community that he fought for. In my role, whether it’s housing or working within the social services field, it’s really important that I stand up for those who do not have a voice, and to be in the places that I can be for them and to represent them well.
Tayo Daniel, co-founder of Smart North – Dr. King’s legacy represents the fountain of youth, because you can plant seeds in people and it will continue to live far beyond you. I try to live out Dr. King’s dream every day by adding value to my community. We do that here by serving youth and connecting with emerging technology so they can compete in this digital world. A day of service is every day for me. Martin Luther King Day will be the day that I’m gonna be gathering with the community and helping people in their service to others.
Shanneon Grimes, real estate agent – My great-uncle, the Rev. Freedie Lee Shuttlesworth, marched alongside Martin Luther King. Having that connection to one of the most powerful influencers of all times, we were raised to treat all people the same, never take for granted that we are free because we will never be free until we start recognizing that all people are created equal, and that one person is not better than you or others. This day reminds me of the fight that we still have to fight.
Kyle Samejima, community outreach and engagement manager, Cooperative Energy Futures – The legacy of King’s work personally has shown me what leadership can do to shift deeply entrenched, oppressive, toxic systems and ideologies and move them through the lens of love and power and collaboration to get through the new systems. And it is more also that inspiration that he brought, that things that seem impossible can be done. We’re still in the midst of that work every day in our country and around the world. CEF was founded to address systems that were unfair, oppressive, extractive, and created a new system of energy that is cooperatively owned by community members, accessible to all community members regardless of income, regardless of whether you own or rent your home, and shifting the story, creating a new story of who gets to own and benefit from renewable energy.
Chantel Harlen, author and poet – I will be celebrating with all the generations of my family and attending Black programming to honor our leaders. My grandpa always shares stories of his upbringing, he is 82. I am thankful to the young, Black, and gifted, and raising my son to see his rich heritage.
Withers-Dozier family – Having two little kids, it is important for us to not only to share, but to experience with them and celebrate our history together. We will be honoring Martin Luther King by introducing him through books and activities. But now that we have a 3-year-old, it’s important that we teach him about community as well as equality. We try to be an example and teach him to stand up for others as well as speaking up for things that are not right.
Ed Kargbo, Fed Ex delivery driver – Martin Luther King’s legacy impacts me because he talked about bringing each side together, and it has manifested now in my life. I’m 28 and have a child with a white lady, and that’s how it manifests. He wanted everyone to be equal, one person not looking down on the other person, and he wanted everyone to be a community.
Sabina Saksena, co-founder of Smart North – Martin Luther King’s legacy for me is important in two ways. I was born and brought up in India, and my working life has been in the U.S. I didn’t know until recently that Dr. King had gone to India to rechristen racism as casteism, which was very prevalent in India. So when I look at the two geographies I grew up in as a young woman, as a child, and now in my adult life in the U.S., I see the similarities in the benefits of what Dr. Martin Luther King preached. What Smart North is doing is really carrying that legacy forward of creating that agency, that level playing field, and empowering Black people and brown people in the U.S. to play successfully in the 21st-century tech economy.
Justin Leaf, communications coordinator at Sabathani Community Center – Some of Dr King’s teachings really came through in my initial foray into activism, which actually was in animal advocacy. A lot of his teachings of nonviolence were really held high in the circles that I ran with at the time as a real sort of template for how to make change through nonviolence. And that really stuck with me. It resonated with me, and I’ve brought it with me into every facet of my life and every way I try to make change in the world.
Robert Foster, Rondo resident – I will start by how MLK has been impactful to me for how I grew up and where I grew up being in Minnesota. It made me a little more confident to be in orchestras and stay in orchestras when I was a kid — sometimes being the only Black male. And it helped me to be confident enough to gain those people more as friends and not somebody just to look at. It made me look at people of noncolor and accept what they were going through and listen to what they may be going through.
Martine McLellan, senior event manager – This MLK Day I plan to honor Dr. King’s legacy by prioritizing rest and restoration. I’ll be taking time for self-care, including getting my hair done. Embracing my natural textured hair is a way for me to connect with my heritage and appreciate the beautiful hairstyles passed down from my ancestors.
Roosevelt Mansfield, photographer – I’m showing up for others and giving my best self — because life offers few guarantees, and one thing is certain: Our time here is limited. So why not keep your word, show up fully, and give all you can while you can? Your legacy won’t be measured by what you have but by your impact on the lives you touch. Dr King is remembered for his impact. That’s what I’d like to be for kids and my community.
Felicia Perry, ARTrepreneur, economic development leader with Rondo Land Trust – Dr. King’s question, ‘What are you doing for others?’ is one I reflect on daily. My work spans economic development, wellness, and collective care, all aimed at fostering thriving and resilient communities. Whether I am leading yoga and meditation sessions to support community healing, facilitating spaces for creative entrepreneurs to turn their passions into sustainable livelihoods, or mentoring emerging leaders, my commitment is rooted in centering equity, justice, and shared prosperity. Through wellness practices like yoga, breathwork, and mindfulness, I help communities build resilience and prioritize self-care as a revolutionary act. These practices echo Dr. King’s belief in cultivating inner peace and emotional discipline as part of nonviolent resistance. His teachings on forgiveness, hope and love as pathways to freedom remind us that mental wellness is not only personal but deeply connected to how we engage with others.
Dr. King also acknowledged the psychological toll of systemic injustice. In his 1967 speech “Where Do We Go From Here?” he spoke of the importance of instilling dignity and self-worth in communities burdened by oppression. His vision of the Beloved Community inspires me to curate spaces where people feel seen, supported and valued, fostering both individual and collective healing.
Rukia Abdi, outreach and engagement representative, Cooperative Energy Futures – Martin Luther King means a lot to me in terms of the community work that I do every day and being an advocate for my local community members and making sure that they’re not left behind and the resources that are available to us. So I’ve come from a long career in advocacy and working with community members. A lot of the work that we do here at Cooperative Energy Futures is advocating for community members and making sure that they get their voices heard and get their power back from all these corporations and making sure that they understand that they are the ones in charge and they have the ability to speak up and be in charge.
