Although Martin Luther King Jr. Day is deemed a “company holiday,” this is a day of remembrance of his life and celebration of his contributions—mixed with the harsh reality that we still have a long way to go.

For more inspirational Martin Luther King Jr. quotes, click here.

I felt guilty “celebrating” a day off this year, so instead of binging Succession or some other waspy program of the like, I wanted to further educate myself on black artists and activists by visiting my favorite art museum: The Art Institute of Chicago. The photography exhibit which featured black and LGBTQIA+ community members especially spoke to me; I loved seeing people of all walks of life be their authentic selves and become more prominent in their industries.

I believe Martin Luther King Jr. paved the path for other activists in the US and abroad. I originally wanted to say, “I wish there were more people like him,” but a better statement is, “I’m thankful there are more people like him out there!”

I hope to see a world without racism, sexism, homophobia… in my lifetime, it’s unlikely, but I am hopeful that our younger generations will continue to push society in the right direction.