I Wouldn't Have My Life in America Without Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

I wouldn't have my life in America without Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement.

As an African immigrant, my ability to study here, work here, build a career here, and raise a family exists because of the activists who fought to expand who could be a part of this country.

Many people do not realize this, but the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, the law that ended discriminatory immigration, was a direct result of the Civil Rights Movement.

Without the courage of the 1960s, the path for someone like me simply wouldn't exist. They were not just fighting for Black Americans. They were fighting for the fundamental idea that opportunity should not be determined by race or origin.

Today, it is a difficult moment for many immigrants. There is anxiety. And for many, there is a real fear about whether years of hard work and achievement even mean anything. Even in moments like this, I remain hopeful.

Hopeful because people like Dr. King laid a foundation we can still build upon. For many immigrants, that foundation is everything. We didn't come looking for guarantees or an easy path. We came looking for opportunity. A chance to build something with our own effort, to contribute, to belong.

On MLK Day, I'm making two choices: Gratitude and responsibility. Grateful for the courage that opened doors for me. Responsibility to help keep that promise alive through how I use my voice, how I mentor others navigating their own journeys, and how I raise my children to understand this.

Nothing we have was given. Someone worked for it. Happy MLK Day.