Page urges education of young today will make possible justice for all in future

During his last year as an All-Pro defensive tackle for the Minnesota Vikings, Alan Page said the team's new defensive coordinator, in an effort to improve the unit, had them get together to read the playbook. What the NFL Hall of Famer recalled more than anything was that, of nine players in the group, five could not read.

FUTURE OF THE DREAM: To eventually reach the reality of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s dream, Alan Page said America will have to improve its emphasis on education, cultivate character and develop an understanding on the issues of race. Page was the keynote speaker for Eastern Michigan University's MLK Day Celebration Jan. 16.

Today, the NFL Hall of Famer who played in four Super Bowls is a Minnesota State Supreme Court Justice who advocates for the rights and education of children.

Like Martin Luther King, Jr., Page told a packed audience at Pease Auditorium that anyone has the ability to make a positive difference for social change and justice in the world. Page was the keynote speaker for Eastern Michigan University's MLK Day Celebration Jan. 16. Before his keynote, Page made abbreviated comments at the President's Luncheon at the Ypsilanti Marriott.

He stressed that, if King were alive today, our success as a nation would be based on how Americans handled the issues of education, character and race.

"The most important thing we can do to start solving problems we face as a society is to make sure that every child has the opportunity to learn. That is especially true for communities of color," said Page, who became Minnesota's first black Supreme Court justice.

He emphasized it was more important to help a child develop their critical thinking than to help them improve their hook shot. To do that, parents need to spend time with their children, tutor them, discuss their educational path and allow children to express their hopes and dreams, Page said.

"We must prepare our children so that, when they are called upon, they are able to respond," he said.

Page has answered that call.

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