Post submitted by former HRC Digital Media Manager Helen Parshall

HRC members and supporters will hold more than 25 community service events across the country to mark Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, joining millions of volunteers across the country who will be honoring his legacy on Monday by participating in the annual day of service.

Each year, volunteers, including hundreds from the HRC family, treat MLK Day of Service as a "day on, not a day off." Like many engaging in service across the country, HRC hopes to transform Dr. King's teachings into action to help meet national challenges by bringing people together, and engaging and empowering communities.

The day of service is part of HRC’s ongoing commitment to further support underserved groups within the LGBTQ community. This year, HRC members and supporters in 28 cities and regions will be partnering with more than 40 health and human service organizations on and around MLK Day of Service.

“We want our volunteers to think about areas in their communities that they might not otherwise be involved in,” said Nicole Cozier, HRC Director of Diversity and Inclusion. “Because our community is so diverse and expansive, there are many ways in which we can use this day to deepen our commitment and connection to those in our community who are too often at its margins.”

For MLK Day of Service, HRC is partnering with a variety of organizations, including ones that serve LGBTQ homeless youth and immigrants and refugees. Studies have shown that LGBTQ youth account for approximately 40 percent of all homeless youth in the U.S. And since the Trump-Pence administration took office, immigrants and refugees have been under attack.

“MLK Day of Service is just one day,” Cozier said. “We want people to use this opportunity to think about how they are investing in our community and advocating for people who are trying to navigate their own intersectional LGBTQ experiences. We want them to carry this mindset into all of the work that happens every other day of the year.”

To learn more about HRC’s work and to find out how you can get involved, check out hrc.org/mlkday.