Why MLK Day Is Important For Your Startup
As we celebrate the legacy of Dr. King and all those who fought peacefully to end segregation in America, we are proud to be part of an industry that took a stand to officially recognize this day as a holiday in 1998. From 1986 (when it first became a national holiday, three years after being signed into law under President Reagan) until 1998, the U.S. financial markets observed 1 minute of silence, but remained open. In 1998, the NYSE made the right decision to close markets, two years before most states started to officially recognize the holiday.
While many in the financial industry may view this day “as just another day off,” I as a leader in the financial community strongly rebut that sentiment. This is not a racial issue, it has nothing to do with socio-economic status, religion, or sex. America stands as the chief world example of liberty, freedom, and economic ingenuity. If we want to embrace free markets and innovation, we must embrace those who paved the way to make this happen. Just today Crunchbase ran a poll looking at “celebrity investors in tech.” Three out of the four on the list were African American- Carmelo Anthony, Snoop Dogg, and Nas. The list of self-made African American millionaires (and billionaires) grows by the minute. It is Dr. King’s legacy that lives on with these young men and women.
For all these reasons and more I encourage all Hedgeable team members to take the day to remember all those that have made America what it is. It doesn’t matter if that is reading the words of Dr. King, attending a screening of Selma, volunteering in their community, or simply reflecting on how blessed we are to live in a place that gives us the freedom to try to change the world- each in our own unique and equally important way.
This article originally appeared in the Hedgeable blog
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