Honoring Dr. King Martin Luther King, Jr.

Today, Monday, January 16, we honor the legacy and invaluable contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King., Jr., one of history’s greatest champions of justice, liberty and racial equality.

Today we are reminded of Dr. King’s belief that “We shall overcome.” This phrase embodied a faith which he proclaimed “can give us courage to face the uncertainties of the future. It will give our tired feet new strength as we continue our forward stride toward the city of freedom.” Unfortunately, the uncertain future Dr. King spoke of has proven to remain grim. Black people in our society continue to experience discrimination, structural racism, inequitable healthcare services and poorer health outcomes compared to peers from other races.

Recalling the firehoses used against he and his fellow demonstrators during the historic march at Birmingham, Dr. King once said “there was a certain type of fire no water could put out.” Today, the fires of Dr. King’s work and message still smolder in the hearts of all who yearn for a more just and equitable society. The struggle to achieve racial equality can be exhausting and seem endless but we cannot allow the fire to go out. To honor Dr. King’s legacy is to continue to work against racism in our spheres of influence.

Today we recognize those of us here at LifeBridge Health who aim to embody Dr. King’s values in the way we care for our community, patients and each other. The work of our Employee Resource Groups (ERG’s) have been intentional in providing pathways to mentorship, access to fresh food for the surrounding hospital community through our farmers markets and panel discussions designed to amplify diverse voices and to further educate all employees within the organization. We offer our sincerest gratitude to all our ERGs and all team members who continue to CARE BRAVELY for justice, liberty, inclusion and racial equality. Your efforts are not in vain.

From the Office of Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
and the Black Culture Employee Resource Group