Jordanne Semper-Scott ’25
Contributing Writer
As we honor the life and impact of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. each year, I am reminded of a quote from a letter he wrote while in the Birmingham City Jail in 1963.
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
This quote especially resonates with me today as I listen and bear witness to the acts of injustice and discrimination being committed not only here, but across the globe. The Israel-Palestine war, the consequences of overturning Roe v. Wade, legislation restricting access to gender-affirming care and much more. What saddens me is that when I log in to social media, I am encountered by noise, disruption and strife from all sides of the political spectrum that deter us away from the true mission of Rev. Dr. King: striving for peace, justice and equality for all through love and compassion.
As MLK Day approached, I felt unsure and uneasy. It wasn’t until I attended the Interfaith Prayer Brunch that I realized this theme — “Reframing Justice” — came at just the right moment and at just the right time.
While I was sitting at a table enjoying the company of others, I looked at the program to see who would be offering a prayer, speech, song or testimony for this event. I thoroughly enjoyed the prayers and meditation, but nothing could have prepared me for Sandy Womack Jr., the keynote speaker. His address, titled “Reframing Justice,” caused me to think very deeply about my purpose here at the College of Wooster and how I could commit to justice.
One of the points featured in his speech that moved me tremendously was, “The most important story we tell in the world is the story we tell ourselves.” Who do you think you are? Why are you even here? You don’t even contribute anything large or grand to this campus, Jordanne. The intrusive thoughts started lingering in my mind as he spoke. Everything that has happened within the past five months on this campus made me feel as if I could not pursue justice. I felt small and frail, as if my presence and how much I contribute to justice at the College of Wooster was not enough. But as the speaker reiterated his statement, I began to realize that the stories or thoughts I was telling myself were a misguided illusion of how much I can contribute to justice.
When I first arrived at Wooster almost three years ago, I had intended to be discreet, very incognito and work towards my undergraduate degree, not realizing in the later years that I would be encountering people from different backgrounds, beliefs, sexual orientations and identities. I learned to respect and value what each person had to offer here and beyond. Reframing justice is not just about changing the minds of those with polarizing or extremist views. It is about opening or changing your mind to how you view, seek or enact justice. Reframing justice involves reframing your mindset. It’s an introspective look into where or how you are positioned in the world, how privileged you may be compared to the other person or where your biases and prejudices lie.
I choose not to espouse myself in the divisiveness and distractions that seek to undermine the work of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King. I choose not to undervalue my presence on this campus as a black woman. Instead, I choose to listen and discern facts from opinions, truth from bias and knowledge from exaggeration. I continue to hope and pray that justice will prevail. During this MLK week, I ask that we all revisit our commitment to justice through peace, discernment and compassion for others as Dr. King preached.
To you sir, thank you for your tireless efforts and work towards equality and justice. Our work is not over yet.
