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Dr. King’s “dream” lives on in Columbus

A dream is a fleeting moment often easily forgotten. But not this one.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A dream is a fleeting moment often easily forgotten.

But not this one.

“I think that people got to hold on to the dream,” Al Edmondson said.

The words that echoed from the Lincoln Memorial back in August 1963 are still stuck in the mind of Edmondson whose every day is a reason to celebrate.

In the last year, there’s been much difficulty that has stained Columbus, the state of Ohio and the nation.

Social injustices and racial injustices, he says, from George Floyd to Casey Goodson Jr. and Andre’ Hill. But with hardship comes hope.

“We have to find different ways to bring our communities and build our communities up,” Edmondson said.

A hope of a better tomorrow. A hope of brotherhood and community involvement that squashes injustice and builds an infrastructure that cannot be torn down.

Edmondson, who is a barber at A Cut Above and determined to revitalize what once was, believes it starts with a seat at the table for a much-needed conversation.

Also, he wants to bring back businesses.

“We got to find a way to bring those businesses back that we lost,” he said.

Businesses, he says, lost by the pandemic or by not having the right resources to be successful.

Another source of untapped potential, he says, is the youth who need to understand they have the power to change.

“It’s not fair,” he said. “Life is not fair, but it’s all about what you make it.”

In November, Edmondson says he was able to get upwards of 2,500 people registered to vote. That’s the change, he says. That’s the dream. A better tomorrow starts with an idea today. An idea that can’t be torn down or dismissed, but built stronger by those who value hope.

“You just got to keep talking about it and try to paint a picture for them to continue to have hope,” he said. “And that’s what Dr. King was all about… having hope.”

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