As I sit in the airport terminal waiting for my hour delayed flight, I am writing to keep myself occupied, but mostly writing to inform you of a righteous man who stood up for justice and world equality, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

His "I Have A Dream" speech doesn't even scratch the surface of what he did to change our society. The civil rights movement was a historical moment in history in which Dr. King influenced thousands with his powerful speeches and activity throughout America. Not only did he encourage African-Americans to demand their human rights, but he declared that all ethnicities unite for the greater good.

Today, on the radio, I was listening to his speech "If I were a Drumming Major" (I think that was the title, don't quote me on it) and it moved me. As an orator, Dr. King didn't just speak publicly, but he encouraged change, he brought forth optimism, and most of all, hope during troubling times when very few believed that our society would improve.

Knowing and understanding that the civil rights movement was barely 50 years ago and the impact it had on the decades afterward is astonishing. Though we still have so much to change and fight for, I am still very thankful that people like Dr. Martin Luther King have paved the way for me to fight for the cause even further. I look at my mother's birth certificate that classifies her as "Negro" and I think of how humble I am. I am able to eat at the same table with my friends who are of a different skin color, I have the right to vote and voice my opinions publicly, but most of all I am able to go to college without being scrutinized.

So many doors have opened for us as a nation, however; I still understand that there are many more that need to be unlocked in order to improve ourselves and our community. There is still racism out there, though at times it goes unnoticed. There is sexism, ableism (discrimination in favor of the able), homophobia, xenophobia, intolerance of religions, etc. It is up to our generation to make sure that these issues are not swept under the rug. It is up to us to identify the problem and propose plans to fix them.

So let's put up a good fight for those who helped us. Let's make sure that the next generation has something to learn from. And remember to not ignore those who fought and sacrificed for us.

Happy Birthday Dr. Martin Luther King.