Parents of Alumni

SPOTLIGHT on... Tayna Longino P'17 '18 '21

Tayna Longino is a human resources consultant for The Kaleidoscope Group, LLC, a full-service diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) consulting firm. She had the pleasure of giving a speech about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 1月12日，她在巴克斯县的家附近的犹太教堂参加马丁·路德·金安息日.

 

 

Thank you, Rabbi Levin for your gracious introduction. 让我感谢我的朋友Jerel和Shari Wohl，感谢你们把我的名字告诉了Rabbi Levin和你们的会众. 我很荣幸今晚能和大家一起分享一些关于我自己和Dr. King’s Legacy to me.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a transformative figure in American history, whose impact on civil rights and social justice continues to resonate today. This weekend, as we reflect on his life and legacy, 认识到他在反对种族不平等和不公正的斗争中做出的深刻贡献是至关重要的.

We know, Dr. King was a charismatic and an inspirational leader to many, like all of us, had his flaws, However, 他对非暴力抗议的承诺和对平等的坚定不移的奉献使他成为数百万争取更公正社会的人们的希望灯塔.

One of Dr. 马丁·路德·金最令人难忘的时刻是他在1963年华盛顿大游行中发表的标志性演讲“我有一个梦想”. In this powerful address, 他雄辩地表达了他对一个国家的愿景，在这个国家里，人们不是根据他们的肤色，而是根据他们的品格来评判他们. This speech remains a timeless call for unity, equality, and justice.

Beyond his eloquence, Dr. King was a tireless advocate for change. He led and participated in numerous protests, marches, and boycotts, challenging discriminatory laws and practices. His efforts were instrumental in the passage of significant civil rights legislation.

However, Dr. King's impact extends beyond legislative achievements. 他的遗产激励了一代又一代的活动家和领导人继续为正义而战, equality, and human rights. His teachings on nonviolence, love, 对于那些努力创造一个更加包容和公平的社会的人来说，同情心仍然是强有力的指导原则. 这些原则是我的父母、祖父母和曾祖父母为我树立的榜样.  I was fortunate to have each of them pour into me from day of my birth. They set examples that were not performative, but deeply rooted in responsibility for your neighbor, your community, and for those whose voices were silenced. You see, my early remembrances of service began in my church and in my community.  I stacked cans in the church and community food pantries, stuffed envelopes during elections, and cleaned up the neighborhood park.  每个星期六，我的祖父，我们教堂的执事，都会去看望那些“生病和闭门不出”的人.” I don’t recall ever being asked if I wanted to join him…. It was just what he and I did… I saw it as our time together carrying a cake, pie or meal made by my grandmother or mother for whomever we were visiting. I didn’t realize at the time, 但正是这些经历塑造并奠定了我的基础……去关心和关心他人.  在选举期间塞信封不仅仅是完成一些琐碎的工作，而是倾听社区的意见, 听到一位母亲走进中心寻求帮助支付电费的哭声, or feed her children or the parent who needed warm clothes for their family. These were my early lessons!

When I left home for college, I developed my own interests and discovered my own voice for causes and activism.  While I did not depart from the values sewn into me by my parents. 我加入了与我个人兴趣密切相关的服务组织——教育, Health, Civic Engagement, and social Justice. 到了选专业的时候，我选择了公共政策与工商管理专业. 凭直觉，我知道我想要一份能够倡导对生活产生积极影响的政策的职业. 所以，我找到了一份可以把个人激情和职业激情结合起来的工作. As an HR professional for several decades now, I have been privy to an evolving and fulfilling practice. 仍然在帮助人们，从人人平等的角度看待政策和做法.  

31年前，我和青梅竹马的恋人结婚，我们有了三个天赋异禀的孩子. Evan-Eric 25, Mykal-Michele 24, and Jordan Andrew 21. The principles and values I shared with you this evening; we have done our best to model the same for them.  While, they have always joined us in celebrating Dr. King’s Holiday and weekend events of service, 他们都敏锐地意识到他们每天对社区的责任，而不仅仅是一月的一个周末. 我们的目标是向他们灌输文明的原则——爱、善良和尊重!

We believe, if we can lead with those virtues then we can sit with each other, break bread together, talk through our differences, be willing to change narratives and assumptions we’ve learned over time, 倾听彼此的理解，而不是为了辩论……只有这样，我们才能共同倡导每个人的权利.

You have likely heard of Dr. King concept of the "Beloved Community." This was his vision for a just and equitable society. The Beloved Community, 这不仅仅是一种乌托邦式的理想，而是一种旨在创造一个所有人和谐相处的世界的实践哲学吗, embracing love, understanding, and justice.

至爱社区的核心理念是所有人都是相互联系和相互依存的. Dr. 金认为，真正的社会变革只能通过非暴力手段和培养一种超越种族的社区意识来实现, economic, and social divisions. He envisioned a society where individuals, regardless of their background, treated each other with respect and dignity. As a guiding principle of the Beloved Community, Dr. King emphasized the power of love and compassion in addressing social issues. He argued that hatred and violence only perpetuated a cycle of injustice, and true transformation could only come through understanding, empathy, and reconciliation.

While the Beloved Community may still be a work in progress, Dr. King's vision remains a powerful and inspiring call to action. 它要求我们反思我们在创造一个爱战胜仇恨的社会中的个人和集体责任, understanding triumphs over ignorance, and justice triumphs over injustice. Embracing the principles of the Beloved Community is not only a way to honor Dr. King's legacy but also a pathway toward a more compassionate and harmonious world.

As many of us spend this weekend honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.在美国，让我们不仅铭记这位历史人物，也拥抱他所代表的价值观. 让他的遗产不断提醒我们，追求正义和平等是一项集体责任，需要我们不断作出承诺和采取行动. Dr. King's dream of a truly just and united nation is a vision worth pursuing, and each of us has a role to play, like myself, my husband, Eric and our 3 children, Evan, Mykal, and Jordan.

Thank you again for your invitation and your hospitality. It has been my pleasure to share with you a little about myself and how Dr. King resonates within me!