NATICK, Mass. (Jan. 22, 2015) -- In a stirring address to her colleagues, a member of the Natick Soldier Systems Center workforce reminded them of words from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that resonate today, nearly 50 years after they were first uttered.
During the federal holiday observance Jan. 21 in Hunter Auditorium, Donna Leon echoed a passage from Dr. King's June 1965 commencement speech at Oberlin College: "The time is always right to do what is right."
With her charitable parents serving as unyielding role models, Leon has always tried to do what is right. Her lifetime of service to others was recognized last July, when she became the U.S. Army's recipient of the NAACP 2014 Roy Wilkins Renown Service Award.
As she spoke at NSSC's MLK program, it became apparent that Leon had chosen the right path even in the face of considerable resistance. She recalled her initial day of first grade, which coincided with the beginning of integration for schools in her North Carolina hometown. She was the only African-American in her class.
"I knew for some reason there were those who believed I was different, a lesser person," Leon said. "But because of my family background, I was not exactly sure why."
Trouble began for her before she was able to take her seat on the bus, when an older girl hit her.
"I protected myself and fought back … a little, skinny, chicken-legged first-grader," Leon said. "It should not have been that way, but it was. When all was said and done, I asked that older school girl who had hit me and who had called me out of my name, I asked her if she was OK. Doing right is not always easy."
The challenges didn't stop there, but neither did Leon's resolve to always reach out to others. The retired Soldier urged her co-workers to also do what they could for those around them.
"Be aware of your surroundings," Leon advised. "Take time to speak to others or offer your assistance. You might make their day. If they ignore you or turn you down, shake it off and move on to the next thing, knowing that you made a genuine effort.
"Because, after all, we are human and have our bad days, and that's OK. Make an effort to get through the mess of it all and start doing what is right once more."
Leon conceded that she sometimes gets tired and wants to stop making the effort.
"When I get this way, not wanting to serve, I have to stop and take the time to reflect on those who have helped me along the way," said Leon, "especially in my adult life.
"Please understand this -- when you genuinely, and not for your glory, help someone, they will never forget."
Leon said that Dr. King's dream for a bright future has yet to be fully realized, and she called her colleagues to action in that quest.
"Since when did doing nothing ever change anything?" Leon said. "Now is the time to strive to do what is right, and if you fail, strive to do what is right -- again!
"The time is always right to do what is right. Please say this with me. The time is always right to do what is right.
"Ladies and gentlemen, that time? That time is now!"
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