“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but by all means keep moving forward.”

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke these words nearly 62 years ago during his address at Spelman College on April 10, 1960.

The civil rights movement was well underway by this time, and despite the threats on his life and his family, the beatings, and the many setbacks on federal legislation addressing civil rights, Dr. King kept moving forward.

So, friends, on this special day in which we celebrate the work of Dr. King, the best way to honor his legacy is to keep moving forward.

The passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was one of many important steps toward equality. It did not come easy. Southern segregationists fought hard for decades to ensure it would never happen, but Dr. King and the movement he led never gave up.

They kept their heads high, and kept looking ahead, and when they were beaten down, they got right back up.

Today, we are facing our own struggle to protect those rights Dr. King sacrificed his life for. Just last year, we saw dozens of voter suppression bills aimed at discouraging people of color, the very same people Dr. King fought every day for, from exercising their right to vote.

The struggle continues, but we can’t let the struggle be a source of discouragement. It should drive us forward toward achieving what we know our country is ultimately capable of: Equality.

We must keep moving forward, and like Congressman John Lewis said, we can’t be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.

I leave you with that, and I hope you have a great rest of your day celebrating the legacy of Dr. King.

Stacey E. Plaskett