MLK still inspires acts of service

I attended the event recently at St Paul AME church to remember MLK and subsequently read the beautiful article by Jane Petersen in the Cambridge Day. I felt very moved by both the event and the article. The two experiences made me want to reach out more. I was reminded of the value of turning insight and feelings into concrete action.

In attending St Paul’s for several years, I feel I learned a lot about this country’s history of racism, materialism and militarism. In experiencing the faithfulness and kindness of many people at St Paul’s I learned about resilience in the face of oppression. These current times we are all living through seem marked by extreme aggression that widens the economic divide and annihilates vulnerable people. And yet I see people volunteering in ways that support the community.  For several years I have been a volunteer with others from Cambridge, Somerville and Lincoln at Hannan Healthy Foods. Being a part of that community has helped me realize the immense amount of work and caring it takes to cultivate the soil in organic and sustainable ways.

Mohammed Hannan, the farm director and Cambridge resident, is originally from Bangladesh and his farming is strongly tied to his belief that everyone has a right to healthy food and the Earth needs us to care for it in nondestructive or polluting ways. The farm has developed collaborative relationships with MIT and Cambridge port School and Boston Public Schools. This reciprocal generosity is what I heard in MLK’s message of dignity and kindness being essential for all human beings.