Dear ,

Every year, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is special to me, and not just because of his incredible legacy, but because of something personal.

Back in March of 1968, just one week before Dr. King’s assassination, he came to my hometown of Paterson, New Jersey. His visit was surrounded by threats and tension, as was so often the case. There was heavy police presence, and among those asked to protect him was my father.

My dad was one of the few Black officers on the Paterson police force at the time. Due to rampant racism, Black officers weren’t allowed to ride in squad cars with white officers They were assigned to motorcycles instead.

So, when my dad was asked to wear plain clothes and guard Dr. King, he was told the reason was simple, and chilling: because of the threats against Dr. King's life, they didn’t want white officers to be put at risk.

As painful as that reasoning was, it gave my dad an opportunity to stand in the presence of Dr. King. To hear him speak. To witness history up close.

And that moment, captured in a faded Polaroid, became a source of pride in our family. I took it to show-and-tell at school for years. Today, my father is 93 and living with dementia but he still remembers that day with clarity. He speaks about Dr. King’s presence, his energy, and how it felt to be near someone who carried such purpose and peace.

Here’s my dad on the right side of this photo next to Dr. King.

I share this with you not just as a daughter filled with pride, but as a reminder that even in unfair, unjust moments, there can be purpose. Sometimes, what feels like a hardship may be placing you in exactly the right room, with exactly the right people, for reasons you won’t understand until later.

Dr. King led with nonviolence even when everything in the world screamed otherwise. That kind of strength is rare. I see it in my father. I aspire to it myself.

May we all carry that spirit forward, not just on this holiday, but every day we’re given the chance.

All the best,