Who Do YOU Want to Be?

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a great man. He possessed characteristics that allowed him to do transformative things as an orator, organizer, and a faith leader. He and many other great African Americans leaders like Shirley Chisholm, Malcolm X, Dr. Dorothy Height, Mary Mcleod Bethune, and Andrew Young really changed the racial and political trajectory of our nation. And as we look for leaders to fill their shoes and bring a voice to the voiceless, we should look within for the next generation of leaders.

We’ve all been asked the question-what do you want to be when you grow up?  Dr. King wanted to be a pastor like his father but Dr. King wanted his words to do something for people. He wanted to change this country not because of what he did for a living but through his actions. I always thought that who I wanted to be was essentially synonymous with what I wanted to be. I wanted to be a writer but who I wanted to be was always something more profound. I never wanted to be famous like Dr. King, but I always wanted to have his courage and wisdom. The woman that I aspire to be is deeper than just a profession or a paid career. Who I want to be is:

1) A traveler. I’d like my words to mean more because I’ve experienced new cultures and explored the continents of this world in unique and exciting ways. From my few trips to Latin American countries I’ve learned so much more than I could ever learn in a classroom. I’ve learned more about the historical impact of slavery in the Americas and capitalism than I’d probably ever learn in any of my Barnes&Noble reads.

2) A good mother. I’d like my daughter to be a strong, independent, smart, and humble woman who transforms her piece of the world in interesting ways. And if I ever have a son, I’d like the same for him. I’d like to raise a child, or children, who know that they come from proud people with a rich heritage and complex, optimistic future. I’d like to raise a child with Dr. King’s compassion.

3) Ambitious. I am one of those people that value an interesting life over a happy, complacent and familiar life. A person full of idealism and driven by results. You know, the type of people who move to New York because they want to work with the best firm in the country and compete with the best in the field. I like swimming in big ponds and I hope the ambition never dies. I’d like to have audacious ambition like Dr. King who dreamed a different reality than what he saw.

4) Impatient. Patience is someone’s virtue-it just isn’t mine. Witnessing patience, I’ve noticed in many it has turned into stagnation and procrastination. I want to be an impatient person who continues to go after all that life has for me today not waiting for tomorrow. Dr. King strived for a lot in a short time, and I’d like to have those wits about me.

5) An agent of change. My passions range from education reform, to racial equality, to international peace. But what I’d like to be is an agent of change. Someone who is constantly moving ideas forward, progressing towards a better reality for people living on the margins of society just like Dr. King.