Celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Today we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day - a holiday that honors the life, legacy and contributions of a man dedicated to social, racial and economic justice for all.  This holiday is particularly special to Skip-a-Long as our history is bound up with the movement he helped created.  As the story goes, citizens in the Quad Cities came together after Dr. King’s assassination and wanted to do something to continue his movement and his message.  In the late 60s and early 70s, it was in his name that Skip-a-Long was first created with a mission to serve all children with early care and education.

Today, our organization continues to value inclusion and a commitment to serving children and families from all backgrounds.  

Here is an excerpt from an article on the meaning of the holiday written by Coretta Scott King: “…a nation that has a place at the table for children of every race and room at the inn for every needy child.”  “On the King Holiday, young people learn about the power of unconditional love even for one’s adversaries as a way to fight injustice and defuse violent disputes.  It is a time to show them the power of forgiveness in the healing process at the interpersonal as well as international levels.”

Today is a wonderful opportunity to talk with children about the meaning of this day and the impact we can have through “…interracial and intercultural cooperation and sharing.”