Coral Springs City Commissioner Joshua Simmons at the MLK Student Award Ceremony. Photo courtesy City of Coral Springs.
By Joshua A. Simmons
This is my first Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday as an elected official. On what would be Dr. King’s 90th Birthday, I find myself in deep thought and truly taking time to understand the gift of service that I have been granted.
Since my election, the pride I have in representing Coral Springs grows stronger everyday. From meeting families, to seniors, to small business owners, each interaction teaches me just a little bit more about my city and how I best serve as a resource. We (my wonderful team and I) worked for almost two years to earn the votes of Coral Springs and vowed that once we won, we would work even harder to demonstrate that the voters’ faith in us was not misplaced.
I recently, attended and participated in the 29th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Student Award Ceremony hosted by the Coral Springs Martin Luther King Jr. Committee. For almost three decades, hardworking and dedicated volunteers provide scholarships and service projects for students and families in the city. Every year, students from elementary to high school are encouraged to submit literary and art exhibits demonstrating Dr. King’s commitment to equality, fairness, and justice. It was an honor to help hand out awards and recognize the talented children who live in our city, focused on such important principles These are the values that we must continue to work towards every day.
Dr. King once said, “I am not interested in power for power’s sake, but I’m interested in power that is moral, that is right and that is good.”
Dr. King was motivated, not by power or attention, but by a steadfast moral compass that always pointed towards fairness and justice. Dr. King understood his mission and purpose in life and sought the influence to be a conduit that pushed our country and ourselves to be better everyday.
I did not seek the power of elected office just to have it. I sought the opportunity to make and impact and to do the most good. My life derives meaning from helping those in need and representing the true promise of the American dream. If I am able, in my capacity as an elected official, to change the life of one individual, then my time on this Earth was well spent.
A rising tide lifts all boats and Dr. King, famously stated, “We may have come here on different ships, but we are all in the same boat now.” I am so grateful to have the support of so many and I look forward to continuing to work in the best interests of my neighbors and the city of Coral Springs as a whole, where we truly have everything under the sun.
Joshua A. Simmons is a Commissioner for the City of Coral Springs, elected in November 2018. He has previously served on the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Committee in Coral Springs. Simmons can be reached at 954-871-1314 or jsimmons@coralsprings.org, or Twitter @SimmonsinCS.
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