_{^{written by: évah myles}}

Peace as a word is meaningless. Peace as an action is the death of death. 

In 2026, we are going backwards. Prejudice is at an all-time high, empathy is at an all-time low, people are being dragged off streets, shot in the face, and beaten for protesting. Now, more than ever, you should be advocating: using the bit of privildge you have to make a difference in lives beyond yours.

With the devlopment of modern technology and social media, it had become easy for humans to just repost and ignore. Many who claim to be “activists” are performative, posting a story saying ‘this is bad’ and moving on with their lives, making no effort to follow through with their word. Reposting a photo does not change lives, but how can we?

Dr. King did not just speak of dreams; he pushed for them. With every protest he stood at, sat in, walked with, he longed for more. He willed for more. Martin spoke as a leader on boards, conversed with other leaders, welcomed the ideas and principles of others, no matter their differences; he was jailed, and communed with his community freely, often ensuring the children within it were safe and at peace. 

Nothing about his activism was performative or facetious. Martin Luther King Jr understood a revolution does not stem from a lack of communication or uniformity; it blossoms from community and strength in identity. 

Everybody had a role in the movement, and he was a representative of the people. He listened, and fought, and cried for his community shamelessly. He spoke to other representatives and let them know Black Americans will never stop fighting for freedom and equality. 

The Black Panthers fought, too. They fought differently, but they fought. The Black Panther Party for Self Defense was founded in Oakland, California in 1966. The National Musuem of African American History states, “Its members confronted politicians, challenged the police, and protected black citizens from brutality.” The Panthers hosted a plethora of programs, teaching children, hosted medical centers, and supplied meals for those who needed them. They were anchors for the community beyond the protests they protected at and believed the programs they were providing were a basic human right. They were allies to our Asian and Indigenous brothers and sisters and never let Black children feel needy. They acted on, never just spoke of, a peace longed for. 

Malcolm fought as well. His ideas balanced many of Martin’s out; he believed that only peaceful protest would never work in a system that wasn’t peaceful. His end goal was freedom in every way, for everyone. He educated himself and others, searching for answers beyond the borders of this country. Traveling the world, broadening his reach across the country, connecting faith and his advocacy. Malcolm wrote avidly and had conversations with people in the community and outside of it, not shying away from disagreements or varying points of view to gain a new perspective or learn something new. His relationship with Dr. King is most notable, publicly disagreeing with him and non-violent movements but still respecting the man and the work they do. 

It is imperative we learn from our predecessors to become activists and improve ourselves once we adopt the role. Peace was not simple for them. It was not something to agree on and move past; peace was something to fight for, work through, have conversations about, and put in action.

Everyone has a role in revolution. Martin was a representative. The Panthers were anchors. Malcolm was an educator and ally. All wanted peace, none sat in their rooms staring at the clock longingly resenting time for how it has evolved but not yet granted the world peace. These men and women stood up and agreed to make a change in their communities and therefore the world, going to protests, organizing, protecting, and educating themselves or others. Their effect on the world was immesurable because they affected and improved the community at large.