By: Victoria Spear

Every third Monday of January we celebrate the holiday known as Martin Luther King Jr. Day in celebration of the Civil Rights leader and speaker who shaped the freedom and rights for everyone across the nation. Martin Luther King was known for his stance on equality, freedom, and development of community holding the foundation for love for all. As we all learned through our history, the civil rights leader was all about shaping his ‘beloved community’ for the better, hence the reason why many students and people volunteer on this day in his honor. 

Although this is a holiday about giving back to the community it is also sometimes hard for us to find opportunities to give back. Every year as an active sorority member and college student I make the effort to volunteer not only on the holiday but also each month to show activity within the community. In honor of the mission to serve the community, this is an excellent way to not only get involved in service to mankind but to ourselves as well. Here are a few examples of how you can leave an impact on your community:

1. Community Cleanups

Dr. King believed in the importance of maintaining and uplifting communities. Our communities are known for the vast need for cleaning services along the roads, parks, and public areas we reside. Organizing or participating in a local cleanup can significantly impact your neighborhood. Whether it’s picking up litter in parks, mowing the grass, or planting trees, these actions contribute to a cleaner, more vibrant community we all can enjoy. 

Even day-to-day cleanup on the streets helps. If you see litter or trash nearby is a small effort to help the community. Recycling as well, make sure to sort out plastic from trash and throw it in the nearest recycling bin. These small efforts day to make large improvements to our community for the better without having to do large community events. 

2. Food Drives and Meal Services

Addressing the issue of hunger and food insecurity aligns with Dr. King’s advocacy for economic justice. As a Birmingham native, there are multiple opportunities to make a change regarding feeding the less fortunate within our community. Volunteering at food banks, organizing food drives, or helping serve meals at shelters are great practical ways to support those in need. Your time and effort can provide comfort and nourishment to many who might otherwise go without. 

Downtown Birmingham Al, the University of Alabama at Birmingham has a volunteering service at Blazer Kitchen that provides food for UAB students, staff, and Birmingham residents in need. These services have left a huge impact on many people, taking into account dietary restrictions and needs while also improving their lives. If you have time check out Blazer Kitchen don’t hesitate to sign up through Blazer Pulse to help out your community. 

3. Tutoring and Mentorship Programs

Education was also a cornerstone of Dr. King’s vision for a better future for the youth. Volunteering as a tutor or mentor can help bridge educational gaps and provide young people with the support they need to succeed. Many organizations welcome volunteers to assist with homework, literacy programs, and skill-building workshops. Many schools and hospitals will even allow volunteers to sit in with kids and allow them to read in groups. This serves as a great opportunity to have that continuous volunteer experience. 

4. Support for the Homeless

As we know there’s a huge epidemic of the homeless in our community that Dr. King fought to solve. Volunteering at shelters, donating clothing, or participating in housing initiatives can help address homelessness in your community. These efforts not only provide immediate relief but also promote long-term solutions. 

There are many shelters in the Birmingham area to volunteer such as Interfaith Hospitality House, First Light, and Jessie’s Place. These areas are well known for helping those in need and creating opportunities for volunteers to make a difference for those in need. When you have the time make sure to check these shelters out!

5. Advocacy and Awareness Campaigns

Dr. King was a tireless advocate for civil rights. Participating in advocacy groups, attending workshops, or joining campaigns that promote social justice can continue his work. Educating others about ongoing inequalities and fighting for legislative changes are powerful ways to honor his legacy. There are many ways to join these groups on campus and off campus and rely heavily on your mentors to direct you. They have experience and might be able to reference you to these programs to leave an impact where it’s needed. 

6. Health and Wellness Programs

Finally, access to healthcare and wellness resources was another aspect of Dr. King’s dream. Committing service at health clinics, organizing wellness fairs, or supporting mental health initiatives can enhance community well-being. This will not only benefit the community but yourself as well, many volunteers at clinics now aspire to be nurses and doctors. Their experiences with volunteering left a huge impact on their future, and it could leave one for you as well. 

Keeping the Memory

We aspire to not be like Dr. King for one day but every day. By committing to community service and leadership, we can leave a huge impact on not only ourselves. Going out into the world, we forget simple acts of service make us human and leave longer impacts than we choose to think. We challenge you to go out as much as possible and partake in these activities as bright young women whose dreams they can attain one step at a time. As we all know, Dr. King’s dreams are still continuing to be fulfilled, but yet there is still so much work to do. 

If you haven’t already planned something, check out these events in Birmingham, AL for MLK Day 2026, https://bhamnow.com/2026/01/13/9-ways-to-celebrate-mlk-day-2026-in-birmingham/

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“Ghetto Roots”

They call it ghetto.
Pallets stacked into beds, lots of pig on the grill,
A hustle stretched thin just to make a meal.
But lemme take you back,
Way back to when our ancestors’ backs broke
Under a sun that didn’t love us either.

Pallets?
The wood scraps they tossed aside,
Used to carry cotton, sugar, and blood,
We turned into survival.
Beds from nothing ‘cause they gave us nothing.
Is it ghetto, or is it resilience?
Y’all mock the crib frame but not the system
That left us with splinters for a foundation.

Swine?
You wrinkle your nose at chitterlings,
Call ’em “chitlins,”
But who handed us the scraps?
Slave masters took the loins, the ribs, the ham,
Left intestines for the “less than,”
But we seasoned ‘em with soul and called it dinner.
Now y’all call it “soul food” at your overpriced bistros.
Who’s ghetto now?

Cornrows?
You call them ghetto, unprofessional, a fad.
But cornrows were blueprints for freedom.
We braided maps into our hair
Rows to show the way to the Underground Railroad.
We wove grains of rice into the plaits,
Because starvation wasn’t an option on the road to liberation.
What you call a hairstyle was a survival tool,
A resistance art form.
And now you wear it for clout,
Erase the roots but keep the look.
Who’s really ghetto?

The way we talk?
You laugh at the way we flip words,
Turn “ain’t” into an anthem,
Slang into a melody that flows like the rivers they crossed us over.
But did you know our tongue was stripped bare?
Forced to trade Yoruba for yes sir.
Plantation whispers became survival codes,
AAVE is rebellion embedded in rhythm.
“Ghetto” is what you call it;
We call it speaking in the key of freedom.
Y’all mock it, then remix it,
Put our dialect on TV, then say it’s yours.

Even love,
They call it hood love,
Laugh at how we yell out nicknames,
How we kiss with fire and hold on tight,
But our love is a miracle.
During slavery, they tore apart Black families,
Sold husbands to one state, wives to another.
We couldn’t legally marry,
So we jumped brooms and built bonds no whip could break.
They called us breeders;
We called it survival.
They punished us for loving at all.
Now they call our affection too loud,
But we’ve been loud for every ancestor
Who was forced to love in silence.

They made us ghetto.
Ripped us from lands where we were kings and queens,
Shoved us into projects,
Cracked our schools, and broke our communities.
They feared our brilliance,
So they tried to bury it.
But still, we rise,
Still, we flip struggle into culture.

You call us ghetto.
I call us genius.
We’ve turned struggle into style,
Pain into poetry,
Scraps into sustenance.
We spin survival into an art form,
Alchemy of the oppressed.
So keep your labels;
We’ll keep our ways, our culture, and our soul.

Learn more about the Be Empowered poetry contest here.

The post Ghetto Roots, Be Empowered Poetry Contest appeared first on GirlSpring.

They wore crowns on their (head)
But the heat made them less bright
So God put their diamonds in the sky
So Harriet (Nose) the way to go at night
Rosa (lips) spoke through action
and hear strength to endure
Muhammad Ali was (chin) checked
But his chin held high cause his fight was secure
Henry Brown mailed himself
He layed (neck) to crate
Walker made products for (hair)
used to make maps to escape
Martin Marched head up (chest) out
Even why they were (armed) with guns
He raised up his (hands)
As if God himself was in his (palms)
They beat Emmett til
When you see him your (stomach) turns
4 little lives that lit up the sky
(Waisted) by a blinding smoke storm
(Back) to school Ruby went
Her melanin made them call her rude things
But that made her shine brighter
Now we wear rubies in their diamond rings
The strength of justice ran through
the (thighs) of the oppressed
They were beaten Til there (knees)
and the ground connect
Because of Maya
I know why the caged bird sings
Now we fly high through generations
Because of her (leg)acy
They wanted us to be free
But they still had our (ankles) in shackles
They knew to de(feet) the enemy
They couldn’t be (toed)to battle
We could do this and more
but this generation to lazy
We rather let the guns, drugs and money drive us crazy
We should want to have the tough skin they had and copy
They ARE AND forever will be the definition of a body.

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This summer, I spent my time working at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. During my time here, my eyes opened to a world of exposure that I had yet to see. One key aspect I remember most is how many women led the fight for civil justice. These women should absolutely be more common in the civil rights conversation. So, here are tributes to 3 women whose names and stories should be heard. 

Gwendolyn Zoharah Simmons

Simmons was a fearless fighter and project director of the Mississippi Freedom Summer Project in 1964. Only one out of three women chosen to lead, Simmons took her role with great importance. She had to pave the way for herself and her community. She said, “We had to fight for the resources, you know. We had to fight to get a good car because the guys would get first dibs on everything. It was a struggle to be taken seriously by the leadership, as well as by male colleagues”. Through her role as project leader, Simmons triumphed through an additional circumstance of adversity in order to demand justice. 

Claudette Colvin

Claudette Colvin was a courageous woman who, actually, gave up her seat before Rosa Parks did. As part of the NAACP, Colvin along with 4 other women, were in an effort to stand up against segregation laws and promote change. However, the NAACP chose to not show her case to challenge segregation laws during the Montgomery Bus Boycott because of her young age and because she was pregnant and not married. However, her courage to sacrifice her life and reputation for civil equality deserves to be heard and respected. 

Diane Nash

Diane Nash was a women ready to persevere and make a change within the civil rights Movement by founding the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). As the leader of this organization, Nash would train teenagers to endure hair pulling, coffee spilling on their heads, and physical abuse in order to prepare for the sit-ins that they would be in every day. However, Nash’s determination for civil justice did not stop there as she helped lead the freedom bus riders from Washington all the way to New-Orleans. 

For more on influential women, check out GirlSpring’s Influential Women from the Past Decade and Quiz: Important Women of History. Still want to learn more? Check out Biography.com’s 51 Famous Women in History.

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Black History Month is
not an old stone ready
to be thrown. It’s a
fresh flower waiting
to be picked.
The beautiful light shining down on it
Makes the fertile ground
heat up a bit. The seeds
turn to roots
and the roots
turn into a delicate tree
standing with its leaves
spreading out wide
waiting for its time
to shine.

This poem was taken from the book, Jellyfish In Disguise, a book of poems created by students in the Woodlawn area, and from Putnam Middle School, produced by Desert Island Supply Company. To learn more about Desert Island Supply Company and the work they are doing in the Woodlawn area of Birmingham, please visit, Desert Island Supply Co..

For more like this, check out this video tribute to Black History Month.

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The History of U.S. Race Relations: A Guide to Understand the Present

2020. The year of COVID-19, chaos, and change. The year of fractured social progress. A year that will go down in history as the year of racial violence, the continuous struggle for equality. 

Recently, widespread protests emerged all around the United States. The pictures and videos of Minneapolis’s protests mirror scenes from the movie, the Purge. The city’s law and order burnt to ashes by the fire and flames brought by decades of racial outrage. But how did the U.S. get to this boiling point in tensions? Well, the answer is long and complicated, but very clearly stated when we look at the racial discrimination that plagues U.S. history. 

[Disclaimer: the experiences related to the struggle for African American rights is not my story to tell, but as an ally of the Black Lives Matter Movement, I am outraged by the recent surged of police violence, and I only hope that this simplified trace of history spreads unbiased awareness, understanding, and compassion of the current climate of the unsolved fight for racial equality.] 

From slavery to the Jim Crow laws to the Civil Rights Movement to the Los Angeles riots of 1992 to the riots of 2020, racial unrest taints the history of America. This unrest is rooted in America’s founding: The Constitution, the law of the land, that fervently protected the institution of slavery. America was built on the idea of freedom, yet freedom was excluded from many citizens.

To understand the realities of 2020, we must look back at the Civil Rights Movement. Near the beginning of the movement, Martin Luther King Jr’s philosophy of nonviolent protests led the movement, but towards the end of the movement, Malcolm X and Stokely Carmichael’s philosophy of black nationalism and armed self-defense grew increasingly popular. Why did this shift in philosophy happen? Because of the built-up frustration. The activists’ nonviolence was met with brutality: police dogs and hoses. With a lack of progress, many people looked for a new approach to secure civil rights: a more radical way to achieve the original goal. 

This shift from MLK to Malcolm X reflects the same reality of 2020. The year 2020 exhibits the same racial realities of 1960. I’m not saying there hasn’t been any progress towards equality. I’m just saying there hasn’t been enough progress. From Ahmaud Arbery to Breonna Taylor to George Floyd, innocent black lives are taken every day by the brutal actions of police officers. With each additional death, the frustration, due to the lack of justice, builds up. The original nonviolent protests failed to bring permanent change, and people turn to other methods to achieve change. 

That is why Minneapolis is up in flames. Because more than fifty years after the Civil Rights Movement, basic civil rights still have not been achieved. The police dogs and hoses were replaced with tear gas and rubber bullets. It is this lack of progress that fuels frustration among millions of individuals. It is this lack of civil liberties that propel people to protest in the streets. 

• People are angry that more police officers protect the home of the man that murdered George Floyd than the number of police officers that protect the lives of innocent black civilians. 
• People are angry that they cannot trust their city’s police officers, nor can they trust their nation’s leader. 
• People are angry that justice is only served when there is nation-wide pressure to do so.

The centuries-long anger and frustration over systemic racism are why protests have turned into riots. 

For the people who want these riots to end, understand that these riots are caused by decades of systemic oppression, and the best way to end these fires is by supporting reform and joining the battle for racial justice. For those who are increasingly frustrated with the lack of progress, understand that the ashes of burnt buildings will not bring permanent change. 

We must remember how Martin Luther King infamously said, “Violence never brings permanent peace.” We must remember both sides of the story: not all police officers are murderers and not all protestors are looters. 

But we must also remember. When people remain unheard, riots occur. 

I am not justifying the destruction brought by the riots. The destruction of businesses and city streets does not achieve peace, but the riots are more complicated than the mere politicized news headlines and more complicated than the google images of damaged buildings. These protests and riots, fueled by decades of frustration, have a clear goal and purpose: lasting change. Without these permanent changes, frustration and resentment will lead to an endless cycle of flames and ashes. 

Do not dismiss these riots. Do not silence these voices.

But how can we affect change? 

• Understand the issue at hand and raise awareness about it.
• Donate to the Minnesota Freedom Fund to help bail the protestors out of jail
• Donate to other organizations such as Campaign Zero and Unicorn Riot
• Beware of the dangers of a one-sided story. Read articles from multiple news sources to learn the whole truth instead of part of the truth
• Campaign and vote for legislators who actively supports initiatives for criminal justice reforms
• Write to your state and federal legislators to demand harsher police policies and criminal justice reforms 
• Attend local protests
• Become an ally

But what does racial equality look like? Well. Racial Equality is… 

• A criminal system that does not arrest, charge, and imprison based on race.
• A society where racial oppression does not limit economic opportunities.
• A community where the color of one’s skin does not hinder one’s success.

Change starts with understanding the issue and raising awareness, but it is achieved when people unify and work towards the common goal of racial equality. 

As a nation, we can and must do better.

The post The History of U.S. Race Relations: A Guide to Understand the Present appeared first on GirlSpring.

2025

That’s a year that I used to be excited for.

Now after the election,

I’m scared out of my mind.

Not just for myself,

But for the people that I’m friends with.

Black people,

Women,

Immigrants,

Gay people,

Trans people,

Poor people,

Heck, even men!

Literally everyone except the people in power,

Because this doesn’t affect them.

why?

2026

That’s the year that my brother graduates,

Then, I’ll have one less shoulder to lean on.

One less person to fight and argue with.

One less person to laugh and spend time with.

One less person that cares.

I’ll lose another person close to me.

Then there’s an empty bedroom.

Then, there’s only two kids left.

Then, another rift is created.

Then, I’ll be 16.

I’ll miss him,

But will he miss me?

2027

That’s the year that my step-brother graduates.

Then, I’ll have one less shoulder to lean on.

Just myself.

One less person to fight and argue with.

Just myself.

One less person to laugh and spend time with.

Just myself.

One less person that cares.

Just myself.

I’ll lose another person close to me.

Then there’s another empty bedroom.

Then, there’s only one kid left.

Then, another rift is created.

Then, I’ll be 17.

I’ll miss him, even though we fought,

Will he miss me?

2028

That’s the year that I graduate.

Me, the final child.

Then, there’s just my parents.

One less person to fight and argue with.

One less person to laugh and spend time with.

One less person that cares.

They’ll lose another person close to them.

Then, there’s another empty bedroom.

Then, there’s no kids left.

Then, a rift is healed.

Then, I’ll be 18,

An adult.

I’ll miss them.

I’ll miss my childhood,

Regretting wanting to grow up faster.

But I KNOW that they will miss me.

2029

That’s the year I’ll be a freshman in college.

Another election has passed.

Hopefully, it went better than the last one.

I see my family over breaks and for holidays.

There’s a new air when we meet,

A nostalgic feeling.

We have grown up,

We are still the same people,

Just more mature.

We laugh about the past.

Complain about college.

We are together again,

And long for the time to spend together again.

We will see each other again.

If you liked The Years Ahead, check out more original poems here.

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How well do you know these famous black women?

Black History Month is coming to an end, so it's time to test your knowledge over how well you know these famous African-American women.

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Since the ratification of the Constitution in 1781, voting and elections have changed over time. Voting rights and representation in office have been scarce for women, people of color, and the LGBTQIAP+ community. For minority groups like these, it can be hard to have your voice heard.

The 15th Amendment has changed to include the rights of more than just straight white men. These men have never had to fight for representation in their own country, so it was important that minority groups got the representation they needed. As time went on, minority groups are more open to elections and voting than they had been before.

Representation in Congress

In 2020, at least five LGBTQ+ politicians were elected to office. Of these five, two were Black and three were women. Sarah McBride was the first transgender state senator of Delaware. This made her the highest-ranking state legislator in the country. Ritchie Torres was one of the first Black gay men in Congress, and also the first gay Afro-Latino in Congress. Now, he is one of the first Black gay men to be in the House of Representatives. It’s sad and shocking that these firsts have not come earlier in history.

On November 3rd, the number of Native American women in Congress reached a new record. The three women who broke this record are Deb Haaland, Sharice Davids, and Yvette Herrell. Haalan and Herrell are both part of the House of Representatives, and both of them represent New Mexico. They are the first state to have two Native American women as Congress delegates. Eighteen Native American women were running for spots in Congress in 2020, which is 2.6% of all women that ran that year. This was the highest percentage since 2004 and though this is still a small number, it is definitely progress.

African-American Voting

The 15th Amendment was passed in 1869 so that African-American men had the right to vote. Specifically, it says that the right to vote will not be affected by race or color. Some states still had measures to prevent them from voting, and it was only after years that these barriers were overcome. Hiram Rhodes Revels became the first African-American in Congress in late 1870. However, at the same time, Southern states revoked the 14th and 15th Amendments, which took away some rights of African-Americans. The government overcame this with the Voting Rights Act of 1965 so, African-Americans finally got voting rights.

Women in Congress

In January 2021, there was a very diverse set of Congress lawmakers. Two congresswomen were Native American, two were Muslim, and two were Black. Arizona and Tennessee had their first female senators, as well. There is finally more representation in Congress than there has been before. It is a good sign of representation for future elections. Also, if certain people are unsuccessful in running for office, others will be inspired to run. The world is looking towards a Congress with plenty of representation.

The Constitution was ratified in 1787. Voting and elections have come a long way since then. These changes are particularly important within Black, female, and LGBTQIAP+ communities. Many firsts were made recently, including the first gay Black men in Congress and the first female senators for several states. The 15th Amendment was ratified so that African-Americans could have voting rights. When it backfired, the Voting Rights Act showed a solution. The American government has had a lot more representation in voting and elections.

Click here to see why we push so hard to fight for equality! Your vote matters!

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Over the years, Barbie has faced significant criticism, placing it at the center of controversy regarding her lack of diversity, unrealistic beauty standards, and her negative influence on body image. Should Barbie be considered a learning example that skews young girls’ understanding of gender, or instead, a feminist icon?

Barbie’s Beginning

Mattel, the famous toy manufacturing company, first launched the Barbie doll in 1959. Most toys back then encouraged young girls to conform to the conventionality of arts, crafts, and beautification, and the Barbie doll was no exception. All of the Barbie dolls were the quintessential at the time: “blonde hair, blue-eyed, skinny white girl,” along with the introduction of Ken, who was also a white, blonde haired male.

Barbie has been presented to the public eye as being one of the first characters who has pushed the stereotype – that blonde girls are wealthy, popular sex symbols with empty brains – fast forward to the point where Hollywood films have adopted this stereotype.

For example, the fame of Marilyn Monroe, Sharpay in High School Musical, and Regina George in Mean Girls. Essentially, many girls had begun to think that in order to be considered beautiful, they must have the same physical appearance of being slender, elegant, and white. 

Barbie’s Controversy

However, Barbie’s stance and slogan, “Be who you wanna be,” strives to paint her as a role model for young girls. Barbie has over two hundred careers, such as being the president, a CEO, and even an astronaut. She has propelled the notion and overall vision that girls can achieve anything they set their minds to and become self-sufficient women, inspiring many young girls.

Moreover, with the 2000s movie franchise we all enjoyed watching as children, Barbie has always been portrayed as a character with the virtues of compassion, honesty, and selflessness, ultimately having a positive influence on young girls. In recent years, the Barbie franchise also has its own YouTube channel, in which there are videos taking a stand against racism in response to the Black Lives Matter movement at the time.

Furthermore, with Mattel’s expansion of the Barbie collection, which is striving to become more inclusive by creating a line with different hair colors, eye colors, physiques, and skin tones, her message is reaching more girls across the globe. 

Barbie’s Empowerment

Barbie has faced controversy for promoting unrealistic beauty standards, but she has pushed forth the idea that “girls can do anything” and has educated young girls about pressing current issues like racism, to always handle hardships with patience, and much more.

The upcoming Barbie movie is directed by Greta Gerwig, a popular actress and feminist, and I am excited to see what this new installment entails. Hopefully, it will head in the right direction and repaint Barbie as a symbol of women’s empowerment. 

For different perspectives on women’s empowerment, click here to see how our GirlSpring contributor Bella Gentry defines empowerment!

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