Earlier this month, the world mourned and commemorated the 40th anniversary of a moment in global history, the soul-shattering assassination of the Reverend Dr.Martin Luther King, Jr.
The occasion was marked by various public events and extensive coverage by the news media. I wouldn’t have it any other way. What was covered less, however, was the Dream Reborn Conference in Memphis, Tennessee. It took place in parallel with and in honor of Martin Luther King’s vision of national unity.
Racism by no means is a thing of the past but thankfully it has diminished since Martin Luther King’s life was cut short in the name of bigotry. At moments like this, however, it is vitally important that we not lose sight of Dr. King’s larger vision. Naturally, he wanted an end to outright racism, as all civilized people do. However, he also wanted all types of racism to end, including classism and environmental racism, the deliberate placement of dirty industries and waste facilities in low-income areas.
If he were with us today, I am confident that Martin Luther King would be delighted with the Green For All initiative. Founded by Van Jones and announced at the 2007 Clinton Global Initiative, Green For All is focused on Dr. King’s end game, the long-term portion of his vision for America and the world, in which economic opportunity is color blind.
How does this relate to global warming? Mr. Jones has merged Dr. King’s vision with the progressive view of the green economy and tackles prison recidivism at the same time. Simply put, in the United States today, one of the fastest-growing industries is corrections, the construction, administration and expansion of prisons. There are no simple solutions to reversing that trend but economic opportunity is a crucial element in keeping prisoners on the straight and narrow when they leave.
That’s where Green For All becomes so important. In its mission statement, Green For All adds a 21st-Century component to the vision of Martin Luther King. Here’s an excerpt: The national effort to curb global warming and oil dependence can simultaneously create good jobs, safer streets and healthier communities.
Hear! Hear!
Since Martin Luther King paid for his unified vision with his life, how does Van Jones expect to accomplish a modern version of what Dr. King helped begin? The Dream Reborn Conference is part of the answer. I could hurl at you a barrage of the event’s merits. More convincing, though, would be to hear from some of the conference attendees explaining their dreams to you (and in their own words!). Visit the URL below to watch 9 powerful minutes of video.
http://youtube.com/greenforallofficial
Sustainable Justice For All!
Corbett Kroehler
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