From Selma to Washington, DC: King’s Call to Reduce Poverty, Promote Human Rights Lives On
DC Summit set for April 4-6th provides resources and networking to build skills to lead change
WASHINGTON, DC— Today marks the anniversary of the historical Selma to Montgomery march led by Martin Luther King, Jr. and is the catalyst to civil rights movement in this country, which gave way to the passage Voting Rights Act of 1965 in our nation’s capitol by President Lyndon Johnson.
"With today as the start of Spring, Selma should remind us to ’spring into action’ and be the next wave of change in our communities. We are suffering economically, socially, culturally and spiritually," said Tambra Stevenson, chair of the Next Wave Leadership Committee and founder of Creative Cause.
On March 21, 1965 over 3,200 marchers joined Dr. King in Montgomery, Alabama to demand their voting rights. They walked 12 miles everyday for 5 days through chilling weather and rain on Route 80. By the time they reached the capitol on March 25, they were 25,000 marchers strong. With great hope, the marchers brought attention to the violations of their rights by marching to Montgomery. Upon their arrival, Dr. King delivered his "How Long, Not Long" speech along side the state capital building.
Like the marchers, the Next Wave Leadership Committee hopes you will be the next wave of change at the inaugural Next Wave Action Summit from April 4-6, 2008.
Hosted by Creative Cause the Summit commemorates the 40th Anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Assassination in partnership with George Washington University Multicultural Student Services Center and Howard University School of Business Center for Professional Development.
"We need compassionate leaders who address their own healing from in order to become true champions for human rights in America through social entrepreneurship and political leadership," stated Stevenson.
In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson acknowledged, "What happened in Selma is part of a far larger movement which reaches into every section and state of America. It is the effort of American Negroes to secure for themselves the full blessings of American life. Their cause must be our cause, too." This is an excerpt from Harry E. Johnson, Sr.’s email from the MLK Foundation.
To register and learn more about the Summit please visit www.bethenextwave.com. Limited scholarships are available to waive the Summit fee for attendees who write a poem or essay of what "Next Wave" means to them and submit via email to change@bethenextwave.com.
Creative Cause is a Washington, DC-based social enterprise dedicated to using creativity to raise awareness and action on social causes and encourage the next generation of leaders to harness their creativity to address social issues in their community. We accomplish this by hosting educational, outreach and community service events throughout the year.