Bring the Meaning of MLK Day to Your Family Dinner Table

Each year, Points of Light brings together people and organizations from across the country to celebrate Martin Luther King Day as a national day of service. The “America’s Sunday Supper” program encourages people to host meals in their homes and communities to discuss topics related to Dr. King’s goals of unity and peace, and to turn those discussions into actions that make a difference. As we did last year, The Family Dinner Project is partnering with Points of Light to help shape dialogues for this important event.

Often, talking about topics like civil rights and justice with family members of all ages can feel like a daunting task. Many adults believe that children, especially young school-aged kids, aren’t ready to tackle issues like social justice until they’re older. But starting the conversation with young family members can yield surprising results and help us as parents and mentors to guide kids through tricky topics in age-appropriate ways, building a foundation for greater awareness as they grow.

To that end, we’ve created the following Recipes for Conversation in partnership with our friends at Points of Light. We encourage you to use them at your family dinner tables this weekend — or any time! These conversation starters are appropriate for a variety of ages, so choose the ones that feel right for your family, and spark a dialogue to honor the spirit of MLK Day.