Sayde Ladov, Esq. Opening Comments Barristers MLK Breakfast January 19, 2009 I have the audacity to believe that people everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality and freedom for their spirits. I believe that what self-centered men have torn down, men othercentered can build up. I still believe that one day, mankind will bow before the altars of God and be crowned triumphant over war and bloodshed, and nonviolent redemptive goodwill will proclaim the rule of the land... I still believe that we shall overcome. Members of the Barristers, Honorees, colleagues and guests: These were the words spoken by Dr. King during his acceptance speech of the Nobel Peace Prize on December 10, 1965. Here we are, more than 40 years later, celebrating Dr. King s birthday and legacy on the eve of the inauguration of the first African American to become president of the United States. (wait for applause) It is truly a moment to savor. (pause) I would like to think that Dr. King would proud of this historic milestone, proud of Barak Obama, and proud of America today. As another young, vibrant and articulate voice for a new generation, President-elect Obama seems to convey a great deal of the spirit of Dr. King, always carefully choosing words of inclusion and invitation when addressing our nation.
Indeed, we shall overcome. I stress the word we, because Dr. King believed that anyone defined as other needs to be engaged in the struggle to overcome. Dr. King never spoke about being separate or apart. He always spoke about the we, the coming together, the collective. He spoke of the unity that is born out of a collective struggle. We shall overcome. I ve been asked to make the opening comments this morning in my role as Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association. But it seems particularly fitting that I stand before you today. For I feel strongly that I am part of the we that Dr. King referenced so many decades ago. Obviously, I don t presume to stand here and say that I relate because I completely understand the black experience. But as a former New Yorker, as a Jew and as a woman, I know what it s like to be viewed as different or other. I know what it s like to swim against the tide. What it s like to take an alternative path because traditional roads have been closed to you. That I do understand. Like many of you in this room (and, unfortunately, the day will come with this is no longer true), I am old enough to remember Dr. King. I remember the sense of hope, promise and change that swept the country. It inspired me personally. My own commitment to public service was largely formed in the 1960 s by the dual experiences of Bobby Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Sadly, I still also remember the horror and trauma of losing both of these visionary leaders to assassins bullets. Each year, on the third Monday in January, we come together (again, the we ) to celebrate the life and legacy of this remarkable man. For me, this is never a day to take off to go shopping. It s a day that I honor the legacy of a man who helped to set my feet on a course. The King Day of Service builds on his legacy by transforming this federal holiday into a
national day of community service, grounded in his teachings of nonviolence and social justice. This is a Day On holiday, where people of all ages and backgrounds come together to improve lives, bridge social barriers and move our nation closer to the beloved community that Dr. King envisioned. Because we shall and still need to overcome. Whenever we see a homeless vet, we still need to overcome. Whenever we see a cheese steak stand named CHINX, we still need to overcome. When we see 116 Division 1 football teams and only a handful of black coaches, we still need to overcome. When I gave my own inauguration speech last month before the members of the Philadelphia Bar Association, I honored former Chancellor Michael Pratt and his work to embrace diversity across the legal profession. I also talked about my own pledge to not only continue this commitment, but to broaden it. Here again, I call out to each one of you: whether you consider yourself young, old or in-between whether you are just starting out, established in mid-career or find yourself with time to spare whether you are black, white, Asian, Latino or consider yourself other whether you are gay, straight, bi or transgender whether your are able-bodied or physically challenged: I call you in the name of service. And I invoke the spirit and legacy of Dr. King in this call. My mantra, Tikun Olam, is a Hebrew expression that means repairing the world. It s a personal commitment to service that was forged in my formative years, listening to Dr. King. I guess you could say that my own inauguration speech reflected Martin Luther King s influence on me.
Last April, near the 40 th anniversary of Dr. King s assassination, The Wall Street Journal published an op-ed by Clarence Jones, who served as Dr. King s personal attorney and close adviser. He took a leader of the Southern Christian Leadership Foundation the very civil rights organization co-founded by Dr. King to task for making anti-semitic remarks. Jones wrote, I was his lawyer and one of his closest advisers, and I can say with absolute certainty that Martin abhorred anti-semitism in all its forms, including anti-zionism. There isn t anyone in this country more likely to understand our struggle than Jews, Martin told me. Whatever progress we ve made so far as a people, their support has been essential. Mr. Jones continued, The resentment and anger displayed toward people who offered so much support for civil rights was then nascent. But it has only festered and grown over four decades. Today, black-jewish relations have arguably grown worse, not better. We still need to overcome. Clearly, our work is not yet finished. For those of us who feel that we have overcome, there are so many yet who do not share that feeling. We must help them to overcome Dr. King would have conscienced nothing less As attorneys, judges and legal professionals, we have a special call to service. For all who are disenfranchised, we must continue to fight for their rights. For those without access, we must continue to seek justice. We must come together and answer Dr. King s call to service. For that is what we honor here today. I truly believe, as Dr. King did, that it is through service to the community that we find our path, enrich our souls, and find the greatest level of fulfillment. Yes, there are days when we feel like we re still working on the overcoming. Yes, there is still more to do.
But on days like this, when we come together and celebrate Dr. King s legacy well, this inspires up and gets us moving again in the right direction. When you re down, keeping your head to the sky is the hardest but the most important thing to do. Dr. King called us all to a life of service. It is up to each one of us to answer that call. Together, we shall overcome. Thank you.