You Have to Keep Moving Forward: Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day

January 13, 2023

This Monday, January 16th, we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, marking what would have been his 94th birthday. One of the most notable aspects of this remarkable man is the way he spoke to all humanity. While civil rights in America was the main focus of his activism and leadership, he also spoke eloquently about the need for greater understanding and tolerance among people of all backgrounds and nationalities.

In addition, Dr. King had a profound appreciation for the hopes and aspirations—and the doubts—that every person experiences as they face the challenges that life holds. Here at VNS Health, our challenge is to continue fulfilling our mission of supporting better, healthier lives for those we serve, even as the health care landscape shifts under our feet. That’s why we are constantly looking for creative and innovative ways to do our job of delivering care to New Yorkers in need, even if that means stretching ourselves and pivoting to new and better ways of doing things.

With that in mind, I want to share this inspiring quote from Dr. King: “If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”

To me, these words say it all. As we lead the fight for more equal access to essential health care—something that Dr. King felt was a vital component of social justice—we need to heed his words and never stop moving forward, no matter how hard the going might be. I know that everyone across our organization is living Dr. King’s words every day, and I salute all of you for carrying out his vision with such dedication and determination, and for working to make VNS Health a place where everyone feels they belong and that they have a voice.

Thank you for that, and for joining me in recognizing Martin Luther King Jr. on this special day.

Dan Savitt
President and Chief Executive Officer