“The Fierce Urgency of Now”
I had the honor of being the guest speaker at this year’s Chapel Hill Carrboro Chapter of the NAACP’s Martin Luther King Day celebration. I spoke about “The Fierce Urgency of Now.” In this dire time, it is important for all of us to find the strength and courage to stand up for our rights and the safety and well-being of others.
“The Fierce Urgency of Now”
This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Good morning, my brothers and sisters.
I am grateful and honored—to have the privilege to share with you as we commemorate and celebrate the life, legacy, and love of the drum major for justice, peace and righteousness—Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
I want to begin by giving honor to my Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ, and by acknowledging the shepherd of this house, Pastor Rodney Coleman.
My husband, Frank—who I’m grateful is here with me today—and I have worshipped in this sanctuary before, and every time we step through these doors, we leave with inspiration that carries us for the week ahead.
I want to take a moment to acknowledge the President of the Chapel Hill–Carrboro NAACP, Brother Herman Foushee, along with the entire Executive Team, for the steadfast service you continue to offer this community.
Thank you for taking up the mantle to lead such a distinguished and historic organization - one whose relevance broadens with each passing year.
As a lifetime member of the Northern Orange NAACP, I remember the late Rev. Dr. T. Anthony Spearman, our former State Conference President, who would often remind us that we are the “oldest and boldest” civil rights organization in the nation.
And it truly does take tremendous courage to carry that mantle forward—ensuring that we continue to live up to its mission.
And I would be remiss if I did not salute, acknowledge, and thank a beloved fixture in the Chapel Hill/Carrboro community—my soror and fellow Eagle, Deloris Bailey—for extending the invitation to be here with you today.
I also want to acknowledge all elected officials, fellow commissioners and community leaders who are with us today. I thank God for your presence and for the ways you labor on behalf of the people you serve.
And I especially want to honor those elected leaders who are part of this church family, including our Congresswoman Valerie P. Foushee and the Mayor of Carrboro, Barbara Foushee.
Your commitment to this community is palpable, I am honored and grateful to share this sacred space with you today.
Now my brothers and sisters, MLK Day is not a holiday of nostalgia.
It is a day of accountability.
A day of recommitment.
A day of Service
A day when we ask—with honesty and with hope—what kind of community we are becoming…well, wait…let me rephrase…with prices as high as they are, and homelessness as it is, and healthcare where its at - maybe the right questions is - What kind what of community do we want to be and how can we get there?
Today, we gather under a theme Dr. King carried like a torch through every speech, every march, and every jail cell he found himself locked in:
THE FIERCE URGENCY OF NOW.
He warned us that “this is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism.”
He reminded us that justice delayed is justice denied—not in theory, but in the lives of real people.
And so we come together this morning not simply to honor his memory, but to examine—
our moment…
our responsibilities…
and our opportunities.
A little History
Before we turn to Scripture, I want to name something about the moment we are living in. I want to put it in the context of the pandemic.
A little more than one hundred years ago, after the 1918 Spanish Flu, this nation entered what we now call the Roaring Twenties—innovation, rapid growth, and new wealth.
But the prosperity was not shared.
And what followed?
A crash…
and then a Depression. …Unemployment, homeless encampments, and suicides were common.
And even if you don’t buy that History repeats itself… it surely has a way of rhyming.
Because here we are again, a century later—coming through a global pandemic that has reshaped our lives.
And we are living through a mental health crisis, with people feeling isolated, depressed, and anxious
And a housing crisis - causing our Orange County Board of Health to ring the alarm bell saying that the lack of affordable housing is not just an economic issue—it is a public health threat.
Because a crisis doesn’t just break the budget—
it breaks the body…
it breaks the mind…
and it breaks the spirit.
And while wealth is once again being created at a breathtaking pace, it is not landing in hands evenly - while for some there is an overflow, many are left empty… too many families are struggling just to stay stable.
And many of us, myself included, are very worried that we may see another devastating depression.
This is the fierce urgency of now.
The way things are right now is why leadership and community matter more than ever—because we don’t just need commentary…
There is a fierce urgency to build. In this moment, right now - we need builders.
And God gives us an example of what builders look like.
So let’s go to the Word… and let’s go to Nehemiah.
From the Book of Nehimiah
When you open the book of Nehemiah, you meet a man positioned in comfort.
He was the cupbearer to the king.
Close to power.
Close to provision.
Close to stability.
But Nehemiah teaches us something we cannot forget:
LEADERSHIP IS NOT ABOUT COMFORT—IT’S ABOUT CALLING.
Because one day Nehemiah received disturbing news: the walls of Jerusalem were broken down.
And those walls weren’t just bricks and stone.
They represented protection.
They represented dignity.
They represented safety.
And when the walls were down… the people were exposed.
Families were vulnerable.
Children were unsafe.
The whole community was unstable.
And here’s the part that convicts me: Nehemiah didn’t stay in the palace and act like he didn’t hear it.
The Bible says Nehemiah wept…
he prayed…
and then he moved.
He went to the broken places for himself.
And when he saw the damage—he didn’t just complain.
Nehemiah got a plan.
And then he used his access—not to protect himself—but to rebuild the people.
And my brothers and sisters, that’s the question in front of us today:
ARE WE GOING TO STAY COMFORTABLE… OR REBUILD WHAT PROTECTS THE PEOPLE?
Nehemiah declared: “Come… let us rebuild!”
And the people responded: “Let us rise up and build!”
Not tomorrow.
Not later.
NOW.
Now, there is a fierce urgency.
Right here in Orange County…
An Orange County Reality Check
When we talk about the urgency of this moment—we don’t have to look far.
There are families who are feeling the weight of a housing crisis that is dictating more viciously than ever who can live here… and who gets pushed out.
We are one of the wealthiest counties in the state.
One of the most educated counties in the state.
And yet—too many people who work here… cannot afford to live here.
And if the people who teach our children…
protect our safety…
care for our seniors…
support our neighbors…
and keep this county running…
can’t afford to live here—
Then the walls are down.
And Dr. King warned us that injustice isn’t always loud.
Sometimes it’s quiet.
Sometimes it’s “legal.”
Sometimes it hides behind policies and price tags.
But make no mistake:
DISPLACEMENT IS INJUSTICE.
When housing costs rise faster than wages, families don’t just lose homes…
they lose stability…
they lose community…
they lose peace.
And it’s hard to be well when you don’t feel safe.
It’s hard to be well when you’re one paycheck away from collapse.
That is why housing is not just shelter—
HOUSING STABILITY IS MENTAL HEALTH.
So no—this is not the time for gradualism.
This is the time to rebuild the walls. This is the fierce urgency of now.
A Personal Story
I want to share something personal.
A few months ago, I spoke with a woman who has lived in Orange County for more than thirty years.
She raised her children here.
She worked here.
She served here.
And she told me quietly,
“I love this county… but I don’t know if I can afford to stay.” This broke my heart. And you know what?
She is not alone.
Seniors on fixed incomes.
Young families.
Working people who serve this community every day. They are not feeling secure in their place in our community.
And that’s why this moment isn’t theoretical.
It isn’t abstract.
It’s personal.
When the people who built a community can’t afford to live in it… the walls are down. And we need to feel the fierce urgency of now —-
And our duty to respond.
Our Call to Action
My brothers and sisters, I want to close by reminding us that Dr. King taught that the arc bends toward justice—but only when people put their hands on it.
Brothers and Sisters, I believe Orange County has good hands.
I see it—neighbors checking on neighbors… churches opening their doors… people refusing to let the vulnerable fall through the cracks.
These acts give me hope everyday.
But everybody knows we need to act.
We don’t need another report to confirm it.
We don’t need another meeting to validate it.
We know.
So what do we do?
We do what Nehemiah did.
We stop walking past the cracks in the wall.
We stop pretending we don’t see the broken places.
We stop thinking somebody else will handle it.
And we rebuild.
And rebuilding means participation.
Real participation isn’t just talking about what local government should do—
or complaining about what it isn’t doing.
It’s getting involved.
So here is my clear call to action today:
APPLY TO SERVE ON ONE OF ORANGE COUNTY’S ADVISORY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
Use these opportunities to learn how local government works—
and how YOU can serve.
And if you can’t serve right now, don’t stop there—
find a young person and encourage them to serve.
Because these boards and commissions are not just meetings—
they are training grounds.
They are where leaders are developed.
And yes—politics is hard nowadays.
But we cannot give up.
We must BUILD the bench.
We must mentor our young people, and reinforce the values they learn right here—
in our churches… and in our communities…
Values that teach us to care for one another—
especially the least protected among us.
And I’ll give you one example:
We have a County Tax Assessment Workgroup right now with dedicated community members—and I can tell you, their presence matters.
Because when residents show up, the conversation changes
and better decisions get made.
Policies are written that direct resources, that make a difference - sometimes the difference between being housed or unhoused, getting medical attention or not, sometimes even life and death.
That is the fierce urgency of now.
And here is my charge to you–
We need more of you to show up like that
Not just when something happens
But before it happens.
So please, when you leave here today, go to orangecountync.gov.
Find the Boards and Commissions application.
And put your name in the mix.
APPLY. SERVE. LEAD.
And I’m asking you to show up because Orange County has a duty.
We have been blessed—strong schools, so many opportunities, and resources.
And Scripture tells us:
TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN, MUCH IS REQUIRED.
So my prayer and my charge today is this:
LET US RISE UP AND BUILD.
Build what protects our children.
Build what honors our elders.
Build what keeps working people rooted.
Build what makes room for everybody—not just those who can afford it.
Build a community where everyone can thrive - build with the fierce urgency of now.
Not later.
NOW.
Amen.
