THE SECOND COMING OF SERVICE: HONORING DR. KING’S LEGACY
THE SECOND COMING OF SERVICE: HONORING DR. KING’S LEGACY THROUGH THE DIASPORA DRIVEN NIGERIA MEMBERS FROM ARGENTINA, AUSTRALIA, FRANCE, CANADA, NIGERIA, UNITED KINGDOM AND THE UNITED STATES.
As the largest national day of service, MLK Day is valued as a day “on,” not a day off — an opportunity to reflect on the gains we have made, and re-commit ourselves to addressing contemporary issues facing our nation through meaningful civic dialogue and recruiting King’s Facilitators for a Call to Action on the Beloved Community from different countries. We answered Late Dr. King’s call to serve and make a difference in the lives of all Americans and other global citizens as volunteer service is a powerful tool that unites us around a common purpose and builds strong communities.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. lived his life serving others. Following his example, millions of Americans serve on Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service including the Diaspora Driven Nigeria Members from Argentina, Australia, France, Canada, Nigeria, United Kingdom and the United States to share their experiences on King’s relevant speeches and quotes on the unique opportunity to reflect on the gains we have made, and re-commit ourselves to the work that remains as we strive for a more just society.
President-elect Joe Biden’s inaugural committee will promote the National Day of service on Martin Luther King Jr. Day as part of festivities ahead of the inauguration on January 20.
The President-elect, his wife Jill Biden, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff are expected to participate in the Day of Service on January 18 and have inspired the Second Coming of Service with activities that include a virtual exhibition, music performance, goodwill messages to CoVID-19 patients — inspired by Doug Emhoff, the Second Gentleman, as well as a Teacher’s Appreciation in honor of Dr. Jill Biden and Coretta Scott King, and a display of picture compilation of donations within communities by selfless volunteers.
Biden’s inaugural committee’s call to service follows in the footsteps of President Barack Obama’s own inaugural committees, which asked Americans to participate in the day of service as part of festivities in 2009 and 2013. President Bill Clinton signed the King Holiday and Service Act in 1994, establishing MLK Day as a National Day of Service. Presidents George W. Bush and Obama often participated in service projects on the holiday in the years that followed.
The Second Coming of Service is part of the National Day of Service that the committee have asked volunteers to sign up for on their inaugural website https://www.mobilize.us/kydems/event/369091/ in the lead up to Inauguration Day. Volunteers have also been presented an opportunity to write goodwill messages to CoVID-19 patients; by visiting: https://bit.ly/3oq37Bn and can as well send in photos of their giving and donations within their communities to form a compilation.
The Day of Service is scheduled on MLK’s nationally-recognized birthday holiday, and interestingly, the event host, Chaste Inegbedion is also celebrating his own birthday on MLK Day. Together with the executives of the Diaspora Driven Nigeria, in collaboration with Jeremy Frisch, Service Lead, Central Pennsylvania of the President Inaugural Committee National Day of Service, Chaste is hosting the event from 6.00–8.00 PM Eastern.
The culminating program for the celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life and legacy is the After Party, whose participants will include Aloe Blacc, Rev. Dr. Bernice King, Martin Luther King III, Chesca, Rep. Sharice Davids, Rosario Dawson, Andra Day, Yo-Yo Ma, Rev. Al Sharpton, Sean Patrick Thomas, Diane Warren, Lynn Whitfield, and Bebe Winans. The event will be streamed live on bideninaugural.org and on PIC social media platforms such as YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook from 8:00–9:00 PM Eastern on Jan. 18.
