By: Danielle Harris, PhD, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion,
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was the primary spokesperson for nonviolent activism and racial justice in the Civil Rights Movement, protesting racial discrimination in state and federal law. After his assassination in 1968, there was a major push for a federal holiday designated to commemorate Dr. King’s legacy. The holiday was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1983, but wasn’t observed until 1986.
Service is defined as “the action of helping or doing work for someone.” On January 16, 2022, the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday will mark the 28th anniversary of the national day of service. In 1994, Congress designated the holiday to honor the life and legacy of Dr. King as a national day of service, marking the third Monday in January every year as the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service – a “Day On, Not a Day Off.” MLK Day is the only federal holiday designated as a national day of service to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities.
This year marks the first year AllHealth Network will participate in ,“A Day On, Not a Day Off,” community service event. While we honor Dr. King’s legacy and the impact he has made on the lives of millions of people, we encourage you to think about how you can continue to keep his legacy alive by participating in service events in our community.
How can you get involved?
- Sign up for AHN’s first MLK Day of Service event, “A Day On, Not a Day Off”
- Participate in Denver’s Martin Luther King Marade (March and Parade)
- Join the volunteer team for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Colorado Holiday Commission
- Check out opportunities at Volunteers of America’s Colorado page
- Search #MLK in AmeriCorps search bar
- Help transcribe the Freedmen’s Bureau Collection, the largest crowd sourcing initiative ever sponsored by the Smithsonian.
- Volunteer for GraceFull Café – one of AllHealth Network’s community partners.
