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equal rights

Tweeted by the Smithsonian NMAAHC.

When Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963, he was met by nearly 250,000 people. Traveling from all over the country to participate in the March on Washington, this crowd became part of one of the most iconic and pivotal moments in civil rights history.

Joining those thousands at the Lincoln Memorial was Ledger Smith, a 27-year-old athlete and entertainer who traveled all the way from Chicago … on roller skates.

Ledger’s story might be lesser known, but it’s an inspiring one.


As a semiprofessional skater, Smith, better known as “Roller Man,” was known for his impressive tricks.

Deciding to really put his skills to the test, Ledger skated 685 miles, from Chicago to Washington, D.C. … for 10 straight days. My legs are sore just thinking about it.

When a 1963 publication of the Baltimore Afro-American asked him why, Smith replied that it was “to dramatize the march,” adding that he “did it in the slowest way.”

To prepare for his journey, Smith ran 5 miles every day for two weeks prior. And after skating for 10 hours a day for a little over a week, he arrived having lost 10 pounds.

black heroes

"Roller Man" Ledger Smith.

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Wearing a freedom sign across his chest, Ledger helped spread inspiration along his route. He wasn’t always met with encouragement. At one point a man had tried to run him down with a car in Fort Wayne, Indiana, according to a radio interview with WAMU.

Still, Ledger was also met by well wishers. The Afro-American reported that many people along the highway, some of them white, wished Ledger good luck, saying that they’d see him in Washington.

Determination (and incredible stamina) overcame the obstacles. Because on Tuesday, Ledger arrived, “sore, aching, but hoping he was 700 miles closer to freedom,” according to the report.

Ledger met up with his wife—who decided to go the more traditional route and travel by train—along with celebrities, activists and protestors to take part in the massive March on Washington. The couple witnessed firsthand the words that would become a beacon of hope for the future, and an emblem of black resilience.

Following nine other speakers, King had only planned on being at the podium for four minutes. But when prompted by gospel star Mahalia Jackson to “tell ‘em about the dream,” he stood on stage and spoke for 16 minutes. Though the speech notably ties in themes from the Declaration of Independence, the Gettysburg Address, Shakespeare and the Bible, its most famous section was completely improvised.

Full of poetry and vigor, King challenged his community to “not wallow in the valley of despair,” and painted the picture of “walking together as sisters and brothers,” where King called it his dream, but it was Ledger’s dream too, along with countless others who arrived that day.

Ledger’s journey to Washington powerfully symbolizes the great lengths that African Americans had endured, were enduring—and still are enduring—to attain equality. But for Ledger, and the thousands that joined him, no distance was too great, if the long road leads to “free at last.”

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ABC's When We Rise

March 1 is Zero Discrimination Day, a worldwide event to celebrate humanity and appreciate all the things that make us different.

The United States is in a pivotal moment in history — one that will be analyzed for generations to come. It will define how this society is remembered and what it stood for. And, frankly, right now is the perfect time to actually show what it is the majority of the country stands for: love and acceptance.

Here's a good place to start.


March 1 is a day to unite around everyone’s right to live a life of dignity. No matter a person's gender, nationality, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion, ethnic orientation — you name it — everyone should be accepted for who they are.

There are a million ways to contribute to a world without discrimination. Here are 19 ideas to get you going:

1. Print out this sign and put it in your window or buy one to add some welcoming flair to your front yard!

These signs were first created and posted by the Immanuel Mennonite Church in Harrisonburg, Virginia. They were such a hit that they've been spreading all across the internet and the country. Let's keep it up!

Image via Immanuel Mennonite Church.

2. Go to a Human Library and check out people instead of books!

At a Human Library, people volunteer to become "books" and make their experiences open and available, usually on issues that people tend to struggle discussing. "Readers" are encouraged to ask questions freely, and they'll get honest answers in return. Find out if there are any in your area — or how to start one of your own!

Image via the Human Library Organization, used with permission.

3. Pledge to volunteer for a cause you care about in your community — even if it's just one hour a month.

Volunteer Match makes it fast and easy.

4. Brighten up your social media accounts with this Zero Discrimination Day graphic from the YWCA.

Image via YWCA.

5. Sign up for the American Neighbors Pen Pal Project!

This pen pal program is bridging the rural-urban divide one letter at a time. The initiative brings together school-age kids and pairs them with a different culture in a different part of the country. Great for classrooms, but anyone can join!

6. Maybe decorate your neighborhood with welcoming signs like this one?

Image via Morgan Shoaff/Upworthy.

7. Check out one of these 20 children's books that are amazing at celebrating diversity and social justice.

Image via Michael Calcagno/Upworthy.

8. Follow the #365DaysWithDisability photo project.

The Instagram-based project is just one part of the Disability Visibility Project's work in building an online community dedicated to recording, amplifying, and sharing disability stories and culture.

9. Language matters. Some words are up to no good, even if they may seem harmless.  

"You Don't Say" is a campaign at Duke University to encourage people to think before they speak. It's something we could all benefit from.

Image via You Don't Say Duke.

Image via You Don't Say Duke.

10. We can help break the stigma on certain issues if we know how to properly talk about them. Take HIV and AIDS, for example:

Image via The Stigma Project.

11. Paint for a more inclusive world!

A fresh coat of paint can make a big statement.

Image via Bethany Johnson/Facebook.

12. Brush up on your history with the new miniseries "When We Rise."

Go back in time to see the struggles, setbacks, and triumphs of LGBT men and women, who helped to pioneer one of the last legs of the U.S. civil rights movement. We wouldn't be where we are today without them.

13. Use this how-to guide to help people who are being bullied by people with anti-Muslim sentiments.

Image via Maeril/Tumblr, used with permission.

14. Know what's happening in Congress and easily call on your elected officials to do what's right with the simple the click of a button.

Thanks, Countable.us!

15. Declare your support for gender equality. Say it loud, post it proud.

Image via The Girl Effect.

16. Are you white and unsure what your role is in fighting for racial justice?

This simple guide is so helpful.

17.  Gender can be confusing to talk about. Here are some great tips for how to talk about it with kids.

Image via iStock.

18. Take time to really hear the songs you can't stop bopping your head to. What are they saying?

Something to think about. h/t Girls' Globe

Posted by Morgan Shoaff on Thursday, February 13, 2014

19. REGISTER TO VOTE! It takes literally two minutes.

You can help direct the future you want. Make sure your representatives represent YOU.

Zero Discrimination Day might only be one day on the calendar. But let's be real: It should really be every day.

Right now, only 4 in 10 countries have equal numbers of boys and girls going to secondary school, according to the World Health Organization.  It also reports that 75 countries still have laws that criminalize same-sex relations. And this year alone, 15 million girls will have married before turning 18. None of that moves our world forward — it only holds it back.

Whether it's at home, in school, at work, in the doctor's office, or in any public space, we all play a part in showing that this country and world are for everyone. It's time to speak up.

Watch the full trailer for ABC's "When We Rise," which begins Feb. 27 at 9 p.m. Eastern/8 p.m. Central.

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What is feminism, really? This comic sums it up well.

'Today's feminism ... aims to include all women, keeping in mind that women face different problems based on their race.'

I didn't truly understand what being a feminist meant until I started feeling the unfair effects of a male-dominated society myself.

I noticed my male counterparts earning more money than me but doing the same job. I was constantly asked when I was going to settle down as I neared my 30s, as if I were expected to abandon my career goals and strive to attain a conventional family life instead.

That was when I decided that I was a feminist.


Maybe the word "feminism" looks different to me in my life than it does to you in your life or to the feminist next door. But at the end of the day, I believe that feminism is about wanting one thing: for women to have the same opportunities as men in all aspects of life.

A 31-year-old graphic designer named Talhí Briones created a delightfully enlightening comic that explains why being a feminist doesn't have to look the same for every woman or man.

Briones published the illustrations on International Women's Day (celebrated on March 8) for her family, friends, and Facebook fans as a powerful response to Quebec minister Lise Thériault publicly rejecting the feminist label. The original comic was in French but has since been translated into Chinese, Russian, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Talhí explains why feminism benefits and affects us all:

Illustration by Talhí Briones, used with permission.

Illustration by Talhí Briones, used with permission.

Illustration by Talhí Briones, used with permission.

Illustration by Talhí Briones, used with permission.

Illustration by Talhí Briones, used with permission.

Illustration by Talhí Briones, used with permission.

Illustration by Talhí Briones, used with permission.

Illustration by Talhí Briones, used with permission.

Illustration by Talhí Briones, used with permission.

This comic is a lovely visual reminder of why we shouldn't distance ourselves from the word "feminism."

Feminism is a beautiful and necessary movement that is slowly but surely making a difference for the better.

Yes, there's still a long way to go. But consider all the progress that's already been made: The U.S. government has taken new steps to lessen the gender wage gap, the U.S. Department of Labor has recognized the benefits of offering paternity leave, and — hello! — America has a female candidate running for president.

So we're on the right track. But more importantly: We need to keep going.

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Modern Love

"Come with me. You’re going to meet the prime minister."

My family and I were sitting in the House of Commons in Ottawa on May 17, 2016, when a member of the Canadian Parliament came to find us. We exchanged surprised looks and quietly rose from our seats, making our way out into the halls of Canada’s most important edifice.

We were there because we’d been invited to witness history that day.


And now, quite unexpectedly, we were about to meet the man at the helm of this historic change: Justin Trudeau.

In order to understand why we were seconds away from this meeting, it’s important to know why we were asked to be there in the first place.

In many ways, my family is a fairly typical one, with two parents, three kids, and a house in the ‘burbs. I’m a writer, and my spouse works in high tech. We throw birthday parties, pay our taxes, cut the lawn, and walk the dogs.

Our family. All images provided by Amanda Jette, used with permission.

If we were ice cream, we’d be vanilla.

Yes, we’re pretty average except for one thing: Two of our family members are transgender.

Just over two years ago, our middle child came out as trans.

Seeing her blossom from a depressed and distressed "boy" into the radiant young lady she is today was the catalyst my partner needed to speak her own truth 18 months later: She is a transgender woman.

My daughter and me.

We had become vanilla ice cream with rainbow sprinkles.

While I had no trouble accepting Alexis as my daughter, I questioned whether or not my marriage could survive my spouse’s transition. Could I love her as much as I loved "him"?

As it turns out, I most certainly can. Zoe is beautiful, joyful, and more engaged in life than her male facade ever was. In many ways, she’s an upgraded version of the person I met 23 years ago, making it easy to fall in love all over again. I’m very lucky to have her as my wife.

One thing that made Zoe’s transition easier is Canada’s solid support of same-sex couples. In 2005, we became the fourth country to legalize same-sex marriage.

This has huge implications for families like ours. It meant Zoe could legally transition to female without us losing our rights as a married couple.

But Canada lags behind in transgender rights. As such, we’ve chosen to focus heavily on advocacy, speaking to media, giving talks, and using our voices however and whenever we can. Trans people face increased risk of discrimination, poverty, violence, and suicide. This will only get better if we shine a spotlight on these issues and insist something be done.

In the past, legislation aiming to provide protection to trans folks has been introduced — and thrown out — six times in Canada.

As such, a person’s gender identity and expression are currently not protected under the Canadian Human Rights Act.

In other words, my wife and daughter do not have the same rights as most Canadians. This is unacceptable. Thankfully, it looks like all that is about to change.

On May 17, 2016, the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, Canada’s newly elected Liberal government introduced another trans rights bill.

The advantage this seventh attempt has over its predecessors is that it’s the first bill of its kind introduced by a seated government, giving it a more significant chance of becoming law. The Liberals invited trans advocates from across the country to come to Ottawa and witness this historic event.

This is how we found ourselves hurriedly walking through parliament for a surprise meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Our family with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Trudeau approached us with a smile in the quiet hallway, shaking each of our hands.

We were thrilled and, admittedly, a little starstruck. He was as kind and sincere in person as I had imagined him to be. It was evident that this day meant a great deal to him, too. After all, his father, former Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau, was instrumental in decriminalizing homosexuality in 1969. The apple did not fall far from the tree.

I thanked Trudeau wholeheartedly for the work his government is doing to support LGBTQ families.

He responded modestly, saying his party was happy to be doing their small part to help a much larger movement.

He then thanked us — us! — for living openly and bravely, saying change can only happen through example. It was one of the best moments we’ve experienced as advocates.

But the day didn’t end with that meaningful meeting. Throughout the day, we met with several other members of Parliament, and even dined in the parliamentary restaurant with our local members of Parliament. We had the pleasure of meeting with and thanking the minister of justice, Jodi Wilson-Raybould, who has been instrumental in making this new bill a reality.

It was a day my children will remember forever; a day when they got to see, firsthand, how much the Canadian government supports families like ours.

Two weeks later, Trudeau raised the pride flag on Parliament Hill for the first time in Canadian history. And when Ottawa locals gathered to remember the victims of Orlando’s terrible massacre, members of his cabinet attended the vigil, exchanging hugs and tears in solidarity.

It has never been more important for governments to rally around the LGBTQ community.

No, laws will not protect everyone from bigotry, but they send a clear signal to those who wish to discriminate against or cause harm to marginalized groups.

I believe everyone deserves to feel safe, regardless of who they are or who they love. It does my heart good to know my government believes this, too.