King Day and Everyday Heroes

By Lance Jones, CASA Program Manager

I am an advocate for Milwaukee’s children, with an office on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. I can’t help thinking about the everyday heroes that I know --people who help Milwaukee’s kids.

Who are these everyday heroes?

Some of them stand for children by speaking up for them, just as Dr. King spoke up for the poor, the silent and disenfranchised of all ages. Kelly Davis is a staff sergeant in the Army Reserve. She is also a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer for two teenage girls who have been abused and are finding refuge in foster care. Kelly has taken on finding a safe and permanent home for the girls and helping them heal. She has taken on this responsibility while she prepares for military redeployment overseas later this year. To many, Kelly’s voluntary military service in time of war makes her an American hero. To me, Kelly’s volunteer service for two foster teens makes her an American hero of peace in the spirit of Dr. King.

Who else is an everyday hero?

There are 20,000 children in Milwaukee County are raised by people who are not their parents. Grandparents, older siblings, people from the neighborhood, foster parents –people who step in and answer the call. Like King, these folks are peaceful heroes. They give of themselves to create a loving, secure home for a child or youth in need. Most of these people had other dreams for their retirement or their youth. They didn’t plan on raising someone else’s children. But they stepped up when needed, often deferring their own dreams, to make a place for a child.

In the words of Dr. King,
“Everybody can be great... because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”

As America celebrates King’s memory, let us also celebrate the service of the everyday heroes who answer the call. This is a stronger community because we have people like Kelly who stand up for and advocate for foster and kinship children.