Summary Of Dr. Yohuru Williams's Convocation Speech

Every major movement in history seems, to me, to be brought on by understanding a new course of natural power. The power of steam, wind, electric and atomic power have all been used by man for his own desires and needs. However, there seems to be one natural power which but a few people have not taken harness of--love. Despite modern societal affiliations with the word love, such as romantic or sexual associations, love has whole other dimensions and power that many of us are not aware of. As Fairfield University’s 2014 Convocation speaker, Dr. Yohuru Williams, pointed out in his speech, Martin Luther King and the Jesuit priests who were murdered in El Salador are some of the few people who found strength to develop a flexible and yielding

Yohuru Williams touched on in his convocation speech was how if people want to be able to love or make a difference in society’s opinion, they must overcome their inner doubts and fears. As Dr. Yohuru Williams explained, there are not many of us who have enough strength to overcome these doubts and fears; consequently, we turn a blind eye to injustices and leave people too suffer. But, it is our Christian duty, as the Jesuits believe, to be "Men and Women for others.” In other words, we must act as agents who help those suffering from social injustice or inequality, even if it is hard to do so. MLK and the Jesuit priests were able to live up to this Jesuit value by overcoming their personal fears or doubts. Using this Jesuit mindset, MLK and the priests chose to stand up to the majority or societal current. They both achieved this by making and sticking with their choice. As MLK stated in a speech, "I choose to identify with the underprivileged. I choose to identify with the poor. I choose to give my life for and with those who find themselves seeing life as a long and desolate corridor with no exit sign” (470). Similar to MLK, the Jesuit priests chose to stay in El Salvador even though it was clear to them that the government strongly opposed their work and ideas. MLK, like the priests, understood that the path they choose would come with suffering and sacrifice, but as MLK said in his speech “If it means dying for them [the suffering people]