Our Call – A Message From MMP’s President & CEO
“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
On Monday, January 20th, we observed and celebrated the life and legacy of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a human whose purpose and power were highlighted by his efforts to advocate for others and serve the public for the greater good. This day was also the inauguration of the 47th President of the United States. In these first few days, the new Administration has acted swiftly to enact several executive orders and changes that have caused uncertainty and distress for many – including people from communities which we are dedicated to serve.
Influenced by founders like Father J. Donald Monan, who embodied the Jesuit belief in social justice, Mass Mentoring Partnership has been and will continue to be unequivocal about our advocacy, support, and care for all youth, especially those who are systematically marginalized. Our mission and core values will remain the same and will be strengthened by the inspiring and relentless work of our program partners to ensure young people and communities thrive. They will be strengthened by listening to and building with others the kind of present and future that Dr. King Jr. dreamt about and continues to call upon us to create. They will be strengthened in knowing our charge is too big to play small, and the work too vast to do it alone – and we are definitely not alone!
From Western MA to the North Shore and down the Southeast Coast, our Commonwealth is home to dreamers, believers, wanderers, and doers that have been steadfast in the face of life-altering changes. So, as those we are in service of wrestle with what may come, #TeamMMP is here to move alongside you to respond with the tools and resources youth-serving spaces will need to surround young people with supportive adults who are equipped to meet them where they are.
We strive to build a mentoring movement that embodies Dr. King Jr.’s notion of the “beloved community”- one that manifests the power of mentoring – of relationships – as a solution and strategy for overcoming barriers to progress. This kind of movement-building demands of us a dedication and an asset-based approach to working with, for, and by the richly diverse communities that make up our great Commonwealth. Our call is to “keep moving” – no matter how small the steps may be – “keep moving forward”.
Yours in solidarity,
Cynthia