'MLK's Dream and the Urgency of Now'

The following message was delivered to all members of the UNO community on Friday, Jan. 15, ahead of the Martin Luther King, Jr., Holiday:

Members of the Maverick Family,

The events of the past two weeks have weighed heavy on my heart and have been a truly sad way to begin to our new year and new semester.

I stand with Chancellor Gold and others within our campus community in clearly denouncing the actions of last Wednesday and reaffirming our university's commitment to doing the important work of fostering equity and inclusion for every member of our community by seeking constructive and proactive change.

It was nearly 60 years ago that Martin Luther King, Jr., whose legacy we will celebrate on Monday, stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and issued his call for equity. As King said on that day, "Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy ... to lift our nation from the quick sands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood."

I am also reminded of the words of Langston Hughes, who asked us "What happens to a dream deferred?" While his poem was written prior to King's speech, it resonates with us today; forcing us to ask, as King did, what can we do today to avoid further pain, division, and fear in the future?

As Mavericks we have a long history of breaking the mold, being innovators, and being committed to our community. In normal times, many of us would be giving back in person, but today I ask you, during this long weekend, to put that Maverick Spirit towards reflecting on your lived experience and the lived experiences of others. Here are just some suggestions for questions we can ask today to make that change a reality:

Focus on 'Self Understanding'

• What assumptions do you make about others based on appearance rather than actions?
• What is the history of your neighborhood or community?
• Who do you regularly interact with and whose voices are you missing?

Focus on 'Understanding Others'

• What different roles and identities make up a single person and why?
• How does tone shape how you process messages from others and others understand you?
• How much of our identity - and the identity of others - is truly driven by individual choice?

Focus on 'Understanding How to Make an Impact'

• What minority-owned businesses can you support in your community?
• How can you engage in active listening to fully hear and understand others?
• What organizations do you belong to that are missing alternative voices?

To help you with this time of reflection, the UNO Libraries have prepared a resource collection dedicated to Martin Luther King, Jr., and his legacy.

It is also true that this work cannot be done in one day, one weekend, or even one year. We must come together to make specific, measurable, and self-sustaining change. I encourage you to not let physical distance separate us sharing our voices and our truths with inclusive excellence as our guiding star.

I look forward to working together, as Mavericks, in leveraging the urgency of now to make our dreams a reality.

With great respect, and a commitment to your success,

Cecil Hicks, Jr., SPHR, MBA

Associate Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity, Access, and Inclusion