Dr. Danjuma Gibson recently shared a transformative message with the Holy Cross community: the fight for justice begins with personal care and the courage to persevere. Drawing on the legacies of Civil Rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., Dr. Gibson outlined key lessons about these real and human heroes on Jan. 14 that challenged the Holy Cross and neighboring communities.
Here are some key quotes from the unforgettable night.
Courage Is a Journey, Not a Destination
“When we talk about racial justice, when we talk about undermining systems of oppression, this is a lifelong journey. It’s an intergenerational journey, and it is not a destination.”
Honoring the Human Behind The Story
“You are more likely to connect with King’s fear and his quest to find courage than you can with his popularity. If we can connect with the historical emotions and their effects, that helps us then to de-idealize them, to de-mythologize them, and to see that they are human beings just like we are.”
Reject Myths, Embrace Humanity
“Romanticizing history and historical figures is a dangerous practice over the long run. Why? It weakens our collective imagination for a beloved community, and it undermines our moral agency.”
On Personal Struggle and Societal Expectations
“More often than not in our society, strong means don’t cry. And I always challenge that—tell me what strong looks like.”