Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School Program
Hosted by GLA School of Excellence Academy
January 22, 2025
As-Prepared
Good morning! My name is Nick Stewart, and it's so good to be with you this morning to honor the story and spirit of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Thank you, Dr. Scott, for inviting me – and for showing all of these wonderful kids what it means to take action on your beliefs and to take risks in order to serve others.
To share a bit about myself, I serve as the co-founder of an advocacy group called We The People - Baltimore County. It's a group of citizens that's focused on making housing more affordable for all and bringing about community revitalization for those communities that are so often overlooked in our County.
I also serve on the community development corporation for the southwest part of our County. It's called the Southwest Visions Foundation. And before all this, I served on the County's Workforce Development Board and as a member of the County's Board of Education.
You might've heard a common word in there, and it's "service." It's a value that I was taught at a young age. I learned it in my church, hearing about the words and actions of Jesus Christ. I learned it in my school, hearing about the words and actions of the country's leaders, including Dr. King -- just like we're doing today.
But it was made real to me when I saw it in action. I was just entering high school; I was about 14 years old. I was part of a Christian youth group called Young Life, and we were going downtown together for a service trip for Martin Luther King day. Now I had done service trips before. But this one was different. We were going to meet with City Councilwoman Bea Gaddy and to volunteer at her family center in the City of Baltimore. Councilwoman Gaddy was a force to be reckoned with. She was described as the "Mother Teresa of Baltimore."
And when we got there, they weren't holding our hands or making this a teaching experience about Dr. King. No, we got to work. Because the need was so great. We were cleaning out abandoned homes in order to repurpose them for new families. We saw how poverty had gripped this community, and how the fight to make it through each new day was real. But we also saw how people had hope, because people like Bea Gaddy were around -- and were joining the fight.
In a very real way, we saw how Dr. King's story and spirit continue through the ages. And it was this experience that crystallized for me the value of service. It's a value that grew and grew in me -- and led to each new opportunity in my life. It's the value I try to share with my own four kids. And it's what led me to you all this morning.
But more importantly, it's the value that brings us all to GLA.
You know, around this holiday, we hear a lot about the power of Dr. King's words and action. We're reminded of the timeless truths that he shared. We hear his booming voice declaring that "one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.'" We hear how others were inspired by Dr. King, like Congressman John Lewis, "to find a way to get in the way."
But maybe even more important, we see how others are continuing the work itself. We see how others are sharing Dr. King's story and spirit. And nowhere is that more true than here at GLA -- and with all of you.
We're here because we know Ms. Salley, Dr. Scott and this whole community believe, in your bones, that there's dignity in every person, that we have a shared responsibility to advance the common good and that we're all connected by God's spirit.
Just like my 14-year old self entering high school, we learn about the value of service because we see it in action. And I couldn't be prouder to call Ms. Salley, Dr. Scott and GLA friends because you're showing us what it means to lead with love and to serve others. You’re showing us that the world is, indeed, far more changeable than we often think.
Ultimately, progress is a choice. And you’re here choosing to make progress every day, in the way you raise your children, the community you've built here and the sacrifices you make, big and small.
It's that kind of progress that starts as a creek, that turns into a steady stream, that turns into a mighty river that can knock down walls of oppression -- and actually makes life better for others.
That's what's happening here. Dr. King's story and spirit continue. They are our living history. They're in our hearts and deeds. And I couldn't be more grateful to support you today and everyday in that journey.
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