Text of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “Humanitarian Award” Acceptance Speech by BACI Executive Director Elaisa Vahnie
First of all, I THANK GOD for this Day. I am truly humbled by this award. This honor is a recognition of the entire Burmese community, all our friends and all our partners.
We are grateful to the American people, and our Hoosier neighbors for welcoming us and allowing us to start our new lives here in this land of freedom and opportunity.
But, it was also our shared interest and clear conviction that guided us to empower newcomers to become economically self-sufficient, productive and contributing citizens of society as quickly as possible. To me, this is the Power of Unity.
We are deeply appreciative and profoundly thankful to our state and national leaders for creating and fostering a policy environment in which everyone is welcome, and treated equally with respect and dignity. That to me also is the type of Unity I believe Dr. Martin Luther King envisioned.
The progress and positive impact we see today in our shared communities is a testament to the partnerships we have forged together. Coming together like this cohesively in harmony is for me the Unity we all want to Embrace and Celebrate.
Allow me to say this also. Where there isn’t full Unity, our freedom may be impaired with fear, and we therefore would not be fully free. Then struggle for democracy might never end. This is especially true in societies and countries like Myanmar where a civil war rages as we speak.
But I tell my community, our people, “We DO NOT Take Things for Granted. For freedom comes with responsibilities. Equality is best achieved when everyone is given opportunity, and in America, everyone can dream the American dream because, in fact, that opportunity is given freely.”
As we move forward, with the theme of the power and future of Unity, I sincerely look forward to strengthening our partnerships, and collaboratively working with you the Commission, Mr. Wilson, Honorable Governor Bruan, Lieutenant Governor, and all Hoosiers for humanity and for greater good. Thank you.
