So I had a meeting today with Erik Clemons, one of the most visionary people I’ve ever met, and it inspired me to revisit the MLK speech at Riverside Church in New York. Delivered on April 4, 1967, the speech created problems for MLK but is often cited as one of his most powerful speeches.

Read below from the American Social History Project:

On April 4, 1967, Martin Luther King delivered his first major public statement against the Vietnam War, entitled “Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break the Silence.” Addressing a crowd of 3,000 at Riverside Church in New York City, King condemned the war as anti-democratic, impractical, and unjust. He described the daily suffering of Vietnamese peasants caught in the crossfire, as well as the human and economic burdens being placed on America’s poor. Not only were lower-class Americans more likely to fight in Vietnam, but Johnson’s domestic “War on Poverty” designed to help poor families was being derailed by U.S. foreign policy. King called for an immediate end to the bombing and a negotiated peace settlement with Vietnam. Although some activists supported King’s opposition to the war, many were concerned that the speech would be perceived as unpatriotic and hinder the civil rights struggle by connecting it to the more radical peace movement.

---

“Some of us who have already begun to break the silence of the night have found that the calling to speak is often a vocation of agony. But we must speak.” – MLK Jr.

---

As a Malcolm disciple, who sees Christ in him, I have not given as much love to MLK in public. But I have to for this speech and for the appreciation that no matter how I may feel about these Ancestors’ politic, there is no doubt that they knowingly risked their lives, their families sacrificed their presence, so that you and I could enjoy the freedoms we do today.

Listen to Voice Note

On the painting – Kaleidoscope of Liberation

This vibrant digital painting by Otha “Vakseen” Davis III captures a powerful moment of unity between Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, rendered in an energetic blend of bold, kaleidoscopic colors. The radiant hues of purples, blues, greens, and yellows infuse the image with passion and hope, while their handshake symbolizes solidarity in the face of shared struggle. Against a backdrop of intricate geometric patterns evoking African heritage, the two figures appear as larger-than-life symbols of resilience and revolutionary thought. Vakseen’s dynamic style elevates this historic moment into a vivid celebration of Black brilliance and the enduring quest for justice.

Make a bid for the painting here.

“An edifice that produces beggars needs restructuring.” – MLK Jr.

For support building Liberated technology, strategizing on data and storytelling, you can book a Strategy Session with us at a discounted rate through tomorrow night at 11:59PM EST.

They said I should not speak English

Àròkọ nípa ipinnu tí ó lè yí ayé ẹni padà:

An article about a decision that can change one’s life

Ṣé ẹ mọ̀, àwọn ìtumọ̀ nínú èyí, GPT àti Google Translate ló ràn mí lọ́wọ́. Bí ẹ bá rí aṣiṣe, jọ̀wọ́, sọ fún mi “jẹ́jẹ́ly”. ––– Do you know, these translations here, GPT and Google Translate helped me. If you see any mistakes, please let me know gently.

Gbogbo Wa Ma n Gbádùra (We all pray)

Ṣe mọ, gbogbo wa ma n gbadura, a ma n beere nkan lọwọ Ọlọrun. A tun ma n ṣe ileri. A ma n sọ si Ọlọrun, “bi o ba ṣe nkan yii, maa ṣe eyi ti o fẹ ki n ṣe.”

“You know, we all pray and ask things from God. We also make promises. We say to God, ‘if you do this for me, I will do what you want me to do.'”

Ẹmi naa ṣe bẹ. Mo beere lọwọ Ọlọrun ko ba mi gba mọra ipele miran ti o n duro de mi. Ṣe mọ nkan ti Ọlọrun sọ lana? Ki n ma sọ ede Ọyìnbo mọ.

“I did the same. I asked God to help me embrace the next level that awaits me. Do you know what God said yesterday? That I should not speak English anymore.”

Ẹru Ati Iyanu (Fear and Miracles)

Eyi ba mi lẹru gaan ni. O si n ya mi lẹnu. O ti pẹ ti mi o ti sọ Yorùbá rara. Iṣoro ni lati ranti awọn ọrọ ti mi o lo fun ọdun pupọ.

“This really scares me. It also surprises me. It has been a long time since I spoke Yoruba. It is very difficult to remember words I haven’t used for many years.”

Ki n le ba ẹnikan sọrọ ni Yorùbá naa ya mi lẹnu, nitori mo ranti pupọ ti mi o ro pe mo ranti.

“Being able to speak with someone in Yoruba surprised me because I remembered a lot that I didn’t think I remembered.”

Awọn nkan mi iriri lati itọnisọna yii ti o dara ju. Fun apẹẹrẹ, pẹlu gbogbo aniyan ti mo ni lori ọrọ yii, ẹni akọkọ ti mo sọ fun, ṣe mọ nkan ti wọn sọ fun mi? Wọn sọ pe wọn fẹ gbọ Yorùbá.

“There are other results from this instruction that are better. For example, with all the concern I have about this matter, do you know what the first person I told said to me? They said they want to learn Yoruba.”

Awọn ọrẹ mi naa ti mi lẹyin daadaa. Wọn lo “Google Translate” lati ba mi sọrọ ni Yorùbá, tabi ni ti awọn ede ti kii ṣe Gẹẹsi.

“My friends also supported me well. They used Google Translate to speak with me in Yoruba or in other languages that are not English.”

Awọn Ojutu Mi ( My responsibilities )

Mo n tẹsiwaju lati gba itọnisọna lọwọ Ọlọrun nipa yii, ṣugbọn mo le ṣalaye diẹ ninu awọn ojutu ti mo fẹ lo lati duro si awọn ojuse mi.

“I am continuing to seek guidance from God about this, but I can explain a few solutions that I want to use to fulfill my responsibilities.”

Mo n lo Google Translate ati ChatGPT lati ṣe itumọ awọn ọrọ ti mi o mọ. Mo n wa ẹro tabi irinṣẹ ti o le ba mi ṣe itumọ lati ẹnu. Ẹyin to mọ mi mọ pe mo fẹran lati lo akọsilẹ ohun.

“I am using Google Translate and ChatGPT to translate words I don’t know. I am looking for a device or tool that can help me translate spoken words. Those who know me know that I like to use voice notes.”

Awọn ofin wa ti o le ba mi ni ibamu pẹlu itọnisọna yii. Ẹ mọ pe Yorùbá mi ko jinlẹ. Ọpọlọpọ ọrọ wa ti mi o ranti. Ati pe ChatGPT ati Google Translate kii ṣe pipe pẹlu imọle Yorùbá wọn.

“There are guidelines that can help me comply with this instruction. You know that my Yoruba is not deep. There are many words I don’t remember. And ChatGPT and Google Translate are not perfect with their Yoruba knowledge.”

Ẹ jọ, e má bínú si mi bi mo ṣe n sọ nkan ti ko da.

“Please forgive me if I say something incorrect.”

Mo ni ẹni tó máa bá mi ṣe itumọ̀ nígbà tí mo nílò rẹ̀.

“I have someone who will help me with translation when I need it.”

Ẹmi Mimọ gba mi laaye lati lo awọn irinṣẹ Google Translate ati GPT nigbati ọna miran ko si lati sọ nkan ti mo gbọdọ sọ. Ṣugbọn wọn fẹ ki Yorùbá ni mo maa lo lati han ara mi. Lati igba ti mo gbọ itọnisọna yii, kaluku ọrọ Gẹẹsi ti mo lo ma n fa aibalẹ ninu ẹmi ati ara mi.

“The Holy Spirit allows me to use tools like Google Translate and GPT when there are no other ways to say what I must say. But they want me to use Yoruba to express myself. Since I received this instruction, every English word I use causes distress in my spirit and body.”

Ànfàní Pọ (Many opportunities)

Ànfàní pọ fún mi, ẹbí mi àti awùjọ wa bí mo bá farajin sí itọnisọna yii.

1. Yorùbá mi àti ti ọmọ mi yóò san bí omi.
2. A máa gbe soke ọrọ àbáni nípa èdè wa n kú ní iran tó n bọ̀.
3. Gbogbo wa máa gbọ́ àbáni nípa èdè ìdánimọ fún gbogbo ènìyàn dúdú ní ayé. (Ẹ̀yí tí ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ wa mọ èdè amúnísìn nìkan ò burú gan-an. Ẹ̀yí ni amúnísìn ọkàn wa, ẹ̀mí wa, àyá wa. A wà dímú ní gbogbo ọ̀nà pẹ̀lú ìpínlẹ̀ yìí.)
4. Awa pọ̀ máa ṣe agbekalẹ àwọn ọ̀nà láti gbọ èdè tó yíyára, tó munadoko, tó yíyọ ayọ.

“There are many benefits for me, my family, and our community if I adhere to this instruction.

1. My Yoruba and that of my child will flow like water.
2. We will elevate the awareness that our language is dying in the coming generation.
3. We will all grasp the significance of the language identity for all black people in the world. (For many of us who only know the colonial language, this is very detrimental. This colonialism affects our minds, spirits, and bodies. We are held back in every way with this state.)
4. We will collectively develop methods to learn the language faster, more effectively, and enjoyably.”

Itọnisọna Yìí ( This guide )

Itọnisọna yìí fi ipa mú mi ṣe àwọn nkan tí mo sọ̀rọ̀ nípa fún ọdún púpọ̀ tí mi ò tíì ṣe. Àwọn ọ̀nà abújà wá tó lè bá wa tete kọ́ èdè bí wọn ṣe lo ní àwọn ọ̀lọ́gọ́ ológun tó lagbara jùlọ.

“This instruction compels me to do things I have talked about for many years but haven’t done yet. There are effective methods that can help us quickly learn the language, similar to the intensive training used by the most powerful military forces.”

Àwọn irinṣẹ wá tí o lè bá wa rántí ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ ọ̀rọ̀ àti òfin tí ọ̀rọ̀ tó yàtọ̀ sí àwọn irinṣẹ tí a mọ̀ tẹ́lẹ̀. Òrìn, eré, àti àwòrán náà ní àpẹẹrẹ díẹ̀. A lè jèrè ọ̀gbà Yorùbá (tàbí a lè jèrè ọ̀gbà èdè kéde) bí a ṣe n lo àwọn irinṣẹ alágbára jùlọ.

“There are tools that can help us remember many words and grammar rules that are different from the tools we previously knew. Songs, games, and wall charts are a few examples. We can achieve fluency in Yoruba (or any language) by using the most effective tools.”

Máa pàdé laipẹ́ láti jẹ́ kí ẹ mọ̀ bí ó ṣe ń lọ. Àwọn ọgbọ́n púpọ̀ ni mo ti jèrè lórí ìbùkún yìí.

I will meet soon to let you know how it is going. I have gained many insights from this blessing.

Mo dúpẹ́ tí ẹ ti ka èyí. Mo dúpẹ́ fún ìfẹ́hìntì tí ẹ fún mi ní àyè. Kí Ọlọ́run fún ẹ ní àwọn nkan tí o wa nínú ọkàn rẹ.

Thank you for reading this. I appreciate the support you have given me. May God grant you the desires of your heart.

Ife ni,
Olori