CAO: Join Me in Reflecting on the Work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Message from Helen Robbins-Meyer, Chief Administrative Officer

We’re heading into a long weekend, and I hope you’ll enjoy the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday. I also hope you’ll take a few moments to reflect on the messages and work of the man whose memory we honor.

The example he set with his leadership grows more inspiring to me with each year. He faced daunting challenges in his fight for racial justice, but always took them on with hope and optimism. He stood fearlessly in the face of violence, but always carried out his actions peacefully.

Nearly six decades after he so evocatively and passionately described his dreams for racial equality in America, we have not realized them. Yes, we’ve made much progress. But last year, the country was forced to confront the gap that still exists between the values we espouse and the reality too many members of our society live. We’ve recommitted to closing that gap, or, using Dr. King’s words, to living out the true meaning of our creed. That work will continue to reshape our operations at the County going forward. We’ll draw again from Dr. King’s dedication and sense of purpose as a model for tackling the tasks ahead.

Dr. King left us so many stirring words and deeds that echo with such force into the present. I want to share a clip of one speech he gave. He reflects on a few of his most significant achievements, events that changed countless lives. But he also talks about how much one note of encouragement meant to him. It’s a reminder that all movements, all great things, result from reaching one person at a time, then uniting them in common cause. Each of us can celebrate Dr. King’s legacy by pledging to work together toward his vision of a just and equitable community.