Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday: A Model of Leading With Love

By Julius Cox, Executive Vice President, People, Shared Services and Supply Chain

On Monday, we celebrate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a bold visionary who envisioned a future many could not conceive of and frankly were resistant to.

Born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Dr. King was a minister and social activist pivotal to the Civil Rights movement during the fight for desegregation. He was assassinated on April 4, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

He's famous for his inspiring vision, mostly notably his "I Have a Dream" speech. While his leadership was fundamental to the movement's success in voting rights and ending legal segregation, he also serves as a role model for Leading with Love, a key component of our Purpose at PG&E.

One example of Leading with Love is tenaciously seeking the best for those around you and your community. It means taking the effort to understand other's perspectives and serving their needs with a spirit of empathy and humanity. It means not walking away from hard topics but rather accepting the responsibility to have direct conversations about what needs to be done in service of the greater good.

Dr. King exemplified these qualities. He was hopeful for a brighter future for everyone and challenged us to be the best version of ourselves. He challenged the status quo.

As we prepare to celebrate Dr. King's birthday, I ask you to reflect on where we are now and where we want to be.

What voices do we need to hear to help us be our best selves? Our best company? What bright new future is ahead for all of us? If we lead with love?

Resources and PG&E Activities

If you would like to better understand Dr. King's era and his tremendous contributions, feel free to check out some of the resources below:

• The Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute at Stanford University.
• Three books written by American historian Taylor Branch: Parting the Waters: America in the King Years 1954-63; Pillar of Fire: America in the King Years 1963-65; and At Canaan's Edge: America in the King Years1965-68.
• A documentary on the 20^th century civil rights movement in the United States,Eyes on the Prize.

At PG&E, we're commemorating Dr. King's birthday on Jan. 18. Our Black Employee Resource Group and our chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers Network will be hosting a webinar featuring Jerry Davis, our vice president and chief information security officer. Jerry will be sharing his life story and how Dr. King has influenced his life.

Let's also not forget that Dr. King's birthday is also a day of service. It's the only federal holiday of service. As Dr. King said, "Everybody can be great because everybody can serve." If you can, consider volunteering to serve our hometowns and honor Dr. King's lasting example.

Dr. King was with us for a very short time, but his impact is eternal. He took a stand for a vision of a different reality for our country and humanity. He was a breakthrough thinker seeking a breakthrough outcome.

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