This year I asked Dana, our office manager, to answer this question in her own words. Here it is…

On an annual basis my family comes together to attend the Martin Luther King Jr parade in Los Angeles, California. This day is important to us as an African American family, because it is imperative that we pay tribute to a man that fought to put an end to racism and segregation. 

My parents were born and raised in Louisiana where they were belittled daily and had to fight to convince others of their basic humanity. A few examples of the injustices they endured was drinking from colored only water fountains, the use of colored only bathrooms, and not being able to simply go and eat at a restaurant because they would serve whites only. Although racism still exists as does segregation just on a more discreet level, there are plenty of activists that still fight daily to keep MLK’s dream alive. Whether it be in the form of protesting racial profiling & police brutality or simply marching peacefully and having a voice in the face of inequality. I am proud to say there are still plenty of civil rights activists that stand up daily in the continuous fight to end racism. 

Although there is still a lot of work to be done, I personally being born in 1971 have witnessed a positive change in the fact that I can turn on the television or open a magazine and see African Americans represented. I can walk into a toy store and purchase a doll that looks like me. This is HUGE because it’s important for our youth to be able to identify and not be made to feel that they are different, not normal, or not human. I have witnessed growth and am hopeful that things will continue to Improve.

My favorite quote for this day is Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor, it must be demanded by the oppressed. 

By Dana Armstead, Office manager at Vitalia Natural Medicine

Please note: Vitalia will be closed 1/20/20 in honor of Martin Luther King.