“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter,”—Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

I stumbled upon this quote while researching for my article and it resonated with me. January 16th is a very important and prominent day for Americans. It’s the day we remember one of the most influential figures in American history and everything he stood for.

Regardless of the color of your skin or where you come from, this day is important. The ideals and the message this day embodies is something that can resonate with every human being.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. fought for the rights of African Americans and he fought bravely. He fought with everything he had and never gave up. He devoted his life to this cause and knew that in order for America to be a better place it needed to be an equal and prosperous place for everyone, not just the select few. Although he had many great successes and gained equal rights for African Americans, we as a country still have a long way to go. I hope that we can heed his words and learn to love one another not for the color of our skin, but for “the content of our character."

He taught us that no matter what we can fight for what we believe in-- and win. He taught us that even with everyone telling you no, you can push forward and stand your ground. He taught us that with enough perseverance we can do things we never believed possible. He taught us that you should never stop fighting for what you believe in.

Dr. King’s legacy is a powerful one that is littered with hardships and adversity. I look at this day and think of a man who was willing to sacrifice his life for the greater good. I admire that and hope that—when the time comes—I can stand up for what I believe in as unyieldingly as Dr. King. A man like this is worth admiring and looking up to. This is a day that I hope every one takes time to reflect and remember what he fought for because the America we know would be a very different place without him.