My notes:

King spoke in Buffalo November 9, 1967 at Kleinhans

Social justice – strategy of non-violence and the civil rights era

Mother black and Cuban
Father white and Australian

1967 Supreme Court overturned ban on interracial marriage

Incredible power in deciding to stand up for someone, and not just move along

Goal to tell great stories about a diverse community

King – “anger gave way to hope… was present and steady when the moment called… do it as if God almighty commanded you to do it”

Chosen to lead bus boycott because he was a young man who was non-controversial and everyone liked him

God infused him with courage… finally found a cause he could die for

“What is the cause worth fighting for? You desecrate the name of Dr. King by not standing up for something…”

Romney “not concerned about the poor because they have a safety net”???!!!

“Message of King shouldn’t be smoothed out… he was fighting for fairness, opportunities, and economic justice…”

Asked Haiti missionaries how they could go on? Answered “Do you know the starfish story?”

“It’s about committing to make change right here… you can make a difference right here…”

Dante – “the hottest places in hell are reserved for those in moral crisis do nothing” Kennedy’s favorite quote

“King was an ordinary man who felt he could change the world, and he did, and so can you.”

Q&A:

One most important international issue?
“Education… even more critical domestically – need educational equity”

How do you become successful in journalism?
“Need to know how to write in your own voice, get your heart on paper…”

“Need to set an example of how to succeed… need to tell people how hard it was…”

Loneliness of speaking up against apathy?
“I feel frustrated, not lonely…”

How do you make people feel connected to those they’ll never meet?
“Don’t worry about bigoted rhetoric, don’t worry about what others think about you…”

Best advice my mother ever gave – “most people are idiots”!

18000 suspensions in schools in Buffalo last year

Kids who were most successful were the ones whose parents fought for them

“Only way to make change in a community is for enough people to get pissed off and do something about it.”

“I don’t care how other people spin what they do… if you do good work it will stand on its own… it’s a virtuous circle…”

Students aren’t thinking about real issues – how would you reach them?

“Beauty about technology is that you can find out anything you want… don’t wait for others or care if they’re interested – learn and do what you think is right, set the example…”

Why does social inequality still exist after thousands of years?

“One of the greatest and unique things about America is that if you have an education, you can move from one socioeconomic strata to another in one generation.”

Love you,
Aunt Edie

Hope that helps.

Sincerely,

Dr. Stall