Looking to Martin Luther King Jr's Work to Embolden Our Own
You can watch or listen to an audio version of this post here.
At the 1963, Civil Rights march in Washington DC, Martin Luther King famously delivered his I have a dream speech. One famous line reads, I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."
In honor of Martin Luther King (MLK) Day, I have been meditating on the parallels between 7 Cups, the Civil Rights Movement and Martin Luther Kings work. What if we lived in a world where there was no stigma surrounding mental health? Where we could speak openly with friends, family and neighbors about our struggles and pain? What lessons can we learn from history to drive this reality forward? Here I will explore these questions.
For those who do not know - Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) was the leader of a movement dedicated to racial equality. He advocated for a just and free society no matter your racial heritage. MLK was most well known for leading peaceful protests, which earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. 89 years after his death, America is still struggling to find equality and faces many of the same challenges faced during the civil rights movement.
A movement is a group of people with a shared purpose who actively work to create change and impact society. It is a group of people who believe firmly in their message and want to share this message with others in the hopes of supporting, educating and empowering others to speak up. Movements can be small or large in scale. They require challenging the norm, using your voice and sticking up for what you believe in.
When was the last time you stood up for something you believed in? Used your voice or actions to deliver a message? Or maybe, a simpler question - what do you believe in? What idea or message would you be willing to fight for?
One thing I love about our community is that it embodies many of the same qualities that MLK embodied and taught. Like the civil rights movement, we aim to treat everyone, no matter their background equally, with kindness and warmth. We believe everyone deserves to get help and we open our doors for free to over a million people every month. We believe that living with mental illness is not something that should be hidden from society and the relationships in our lives, for we have learned time and again that when stigma goes down, love, compassion and support go up.
I want to live in a world where people can speak openly about getting support for mental health concerns. A world where stigma doesnt stop someone from getting the help that they desperately need. That instead of being seen as a personal weakness, mental illness is seen as a medical condition that can have disastrous medical implications if not treated.
There are many incredible organizations in the world aiming to reduce stigma around mental illness. Today, I am wondering - what are we doing in this department? The mere fact that 7 Cups must be an anonymous site, indicates some amount of hiding is needed and helpful in getting support. Being anonymous is an incredible safety net that we desperately need, but what if we lived in a world where we didnt have to be anonymous in seeking emotional support? I wonder what this world would look and feel like? How we would treat one another? Close your eyes and imagine.
Mental health still lies in the shadows of society. As a community, I wonder if we should be taking a more firm stance with the outside world in advocating for transparency, love and openness when it comes to mental health. Do we have the courage to stand up and use our voices like MLK did?
7 Cups is a community, but, whether we recognize it or not, it is also a movement. A movement we have not set on fire yet. Its embers are burning and looking for more logs. The future of 7 Cups is bright, but I hope today, in honor of the lessons learned from MLK and the Civil Rights Movement, that we can each take a moment to reflect and think of one thing we will do to share our communities mission with the world so that more people can get help.
Whenever I think of Martin I always think of this beautiful but sad song. 
Abraham, Martin & John (stereo) - Dion
https://youtu.be/01CxBKMbS28
Wow great post laura, and something to think about for sure in our work <3
@Laura yossss audio version <3 ^-^'
@bunnypants Oh yes the problem i need to find. Your article provides useful information that i am looking for. I will often visit this site. ABCYA
Wow @Laura, thank you for sharing this powerful post here! I believe that 7Cups does a lot and I believe that we are already changing a world and we are already standing up for what we believe because for me, 7Cups is not only a place for people to get support, but it is also a platform to make changes and to spread awareness!
Our community is big, worldwide and various and that is great, it helps us to connect with each other and help each other to learn something about things that others have to share, if it would be a recovery plan, some information about discriminated groups or our life story. Every little post, every action we make here is being counted in the internet and when people are going to use google to search for example "How can I help someone who is self-harming?" one of the articles they will see will be from our SH subcommunity. The same is with other topics, especially the ones that are not being talked much, for example MOGII, do you know that 7cups is one of the first choice when you use google search to look for this acronim? For me it means a lot, because here we talk about things, about conditions and communities that usually are not being talked about. I like this message our community brings, that sharing is caring and that together we are stronger. I want to imagine the world where people are not anonymous anymore, but well, for me it wouldn't make any big change because you don't need to know how person looks or where they live to know them, it's only additional features, but their experiences, they story and their life is real and most important thing for me
Oh, and talking about things that I can do to stand up for what I believe, I do a lot of little things that counts to me...
I am writting an articles about mental health and about suicide and it's causes, I am helping people when they need the most here and in the suicide hotline and I am also advocating for LGBTQ+/MOGII, woman and every gorup that is being discriminated equality with my Tolerantic Associasion that I am part of it. And well, from the february, I am starting classes in the university because I know that in these classes professor is talking bad things about homosexuality and transgender people, as well as about other things that I don't agree and he is pretty close-minded when it comes to it, so I am taking this course just to be able to argue and show other people with good arguments that we have other opinions as well and they don't need to believe everything that has been said there.
P.S. Good idea to give us an audio version, I loved it and it made your post to go directly to the heart!
@Laura Correction: "89 years after his death" should either be be "50 years after his death [or 'murder' if one is to be precise]" or "89 years after his birth." MLK, Jr was assassinated by James Earl Ray in Memphis, TN in 1968. Dr. King was born in Atlanta, GA in 1929.
Also, for those interested in delving beyond "I Have A Dream," The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute at Stanford University has numerous resources and a comprehensive collection of sermons, speeches, writings and correspondence available.
https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/about-papers-project
https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-resources/king-resources-overview
@melliotm 🙏
Thank you for sharing this vital information about an inspiring, influential human being.
First off, wonderful and inspiring post! I like how you compare the Civil Rights movement with mental health. As a black person, this hits deep with. Back in Martin Luther King Jr's day, black people were discriminated and look down upon. We were seen as "second-class citizens." We were seen as a group of people not entitled to any kind of worth, any kind of diginity, and any kind of respect. With the color of our skin, we were stereotyped as unintelligent, unskillful, ugly, people who lack potential. We were the "outcasts" and the "rats" to the people around us. We were seen as people not deserving any kind of opportunities, and accesses. Luckily, We had someone like Martin Luther King Jr to be our voice and speak for us. To be our representative and represented us as black people. To be our defender and stood up for us.
In the same way, people with mental health problems are being treated that way unfortunately. They are stigmatized and are look down upon. They are seen as people who don't deserve any worth, diginity, and respect. When people find out about their mental problem, they are judged as unintelligent, unskillful and lacking potential. They are seen as outcasts who don't deserve opportunities and access. That why, we need to be a Martin Luther King Jr for those people. As someone that will speak for them, represent them, and defend them. So that, like black people, they can have freedom and get help without fear.
@Laura
MLK is inspirational human being, what would he have made of some of the vile posts and actions in chatrooms?
Judge the members 'on the content of their character', 'vile posts, vile actions, vile members';
I doubt that he would be tolerant or understanding under the circumstances.
reflections
MLK had good intentions, but sadly, this world has only gotten worse since then. There was a peak in the 70's- 80's and 90's-early 00's was medium but now the world has reached a breaking point. Hating one another is doing nothing and is useless .. but people are too selfish to offer a helping hand also b/c one hand is using the smartphone. :(