About the Show:

"If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?"

– Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

In this episode of I Am Northwest Arkansas®, I'm reflecting on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s vision of the "beloved community"—inspired by this year's MLK Council event theme right here in Northwest Arkansas. I share words from Dr. King's powerful "mountaintop speech" and revisit stories from past guests who've shown what it looks like to choose service and love over self-interest.

You'll hear about lawyers, business owners, and nonprofit leaders across our region who saw a need and refused to look away—people helping immigrants and refugees find their footing, supporting small businesses, creating spaces for real conversation and care. The beloved community isn't just an ideal—it's being built right here, every day, by people who simply decided to act.

This episode is about hope, and it's an invitation: Who can you help today?

Key Takeaways:

1. The “beloved community” is more than a slogan—it's a call to action for everyone.
2. Dr. King's question, "What will happen to them if I do not stop to help?" inspires personal reflection and service.
3. Real stories from Northwest Arkansas show people making a difference through law, business, non-profit work, and relationships.
4. Small steps—from reaching out to a neighbor to supporting a local cause—can help build greater equity, belonging, and care.
5. The hope for a better community lives not just in speeches, but in the daily actions of ordinary people.

All this and more on this episode of the I Am Northwest Arkansas® podcast.

Important Links and Mentions on the Show*

1. Martin Luther King, Jr. Council Annual Event
2. Nathan Bogart, Immigration Attorney (Episode 338)
3. Pedal Pops and Pedal Park: Mike Thompson & Lynn Wong (Episode 326)
4. Canopy NWA: Refugee Resettlement (Episode 319)
5. Peter Norman, CRED Legal Clinic (Episode 303)
6. Potter’s House: Shawn Schwartzman (Episode 297)
7. Canopy NWA Website
8. Potter's House Website
9. FindItNWA.com NWA’s Hyperlocal Business Directory

This episode is sponsored by*

Signature Bank of Arkansas "Community Banking at its Best!"

Try ONBoardNWA.com Today!

*Note: some of the resources mentioned may be affiliate links. This means we get paid a commission (at no extra cost to you) if you use that link to make a purchase.

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Mentioned in this episode:

FindItNWA.com

Looking to discover the best local businesses in Northwest Arkansas? 🌟 From cozy cafes to essential services, FindItNWA.com has got you covered. Connect with your local community with just one click and explore something great. Visit finditnwa.com today! #LocalBusiness #CommunitySupport"

FindItNWA.com

Welcome to a special episode of the I Am

Northwest Arkansas podcast. As we reflect on the

life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I

want to pause and share something from the heart,

something rooted in history, in community,

and in the choices we make every day.

You know, I had the opportunity to attend an event this weekend

hosted by the Martin Luther King, Jr. Council

as part of their annual celebration right here

in Northwest Arkansas. The theme this year

is Embracing our beloved community.

That idea of a beloved community is more

than just a slogan. It's a call to action.

In this episode, I want to bring you a few reflections from one

of Dr. King's most powerful and

prophetic speeches, delivered in

Memphis the night before he was

assassinated in 1968.

I'll also share some stories from this very podcast

that remind us the beloved community

isn't just an idea. It's something being

built right here in Northwest Arkansas every

day by people who choose service

over self.

On April 3, 1968, Dr.

King spoke to a group of sanitation workers in Memphis, Tennessee.

He was tired, the weather was bad,

and he almost didn't speak that night.

But what he delivered became known as as his

mountaintop speech, a deeply

spiritual and courageous message

that still speaks to us today.

In that speech, Dr. King reflected on the story of the

Good Samaritan. He challenged us to

stop asking, what will happen to me

if I help? And instead ask,

what will happen to them if I don't?

I'd like to read that excerpt now in my own voice,

because these words continue to guide us even

now. The

first question that the Levite asked was, if

I stop to help this man, what

will happen to me? But then the Good Samaritan

came by and he reversed the question. If

I do not stop to help this man, what will

happen to him? That's the question before you

tonight. Not, if I stop to help the sanitation

workers, what will happen to my job? Not

if I stop to help the sanitation workers, what will happen

to all of the hours that I usually spend in my

office every day and every week as a pastor?

The question is not, if I stop to help this man in

need, what will happen to me? The question is,

if I do not stop to help the sanitation workers,

what will happen to them? That's the question.

Let us rise up tonight with a greater readiness.

Let us stand with a greater determination, and let

us move on. In these powerful days,

these days of challenge, to make America what

it ought to be. We have an opportunity

to make America a better nation.

Those words, if I do not stop

to help this man with what will happen to him?

That's the question. And over the past 400

plus episodes of this podcast, I've had the honor

of talking to people right here in Northwest Arkansas

who have asked themselves that very question

and then acted on it. These aren't just leaders or

founders. They're neighbors. They're community

builders. They're people who didn't look away.

Here are just a few of their stories.

Nathan Bogart Immigration attorney from

episode 338 Nathan helps

immigrants and asylum seekers navigate a legal system

that's confusing, unforgiving, and

often stacked against them. For many of his clients,

he he's not just a lawyer, he's the one person standing

between them and losing everything.

That's the work of the beloved community.

Mike Thompson and Lynn Wong Petal Pops in Pedal park

on episode 326 Mike and Lynn

left behind corporate careers to create Petal Pops

and Petal park, not just to sell Fruit Pops, but

but to build a space where people can gather,

connect and support one another. Their business

is built on inclusion and collaboration,

a model of what it means to serve through

entrepreneurship.

Canopy NWA the Refugee Resettlement Episode

Number 319 Since 2016,

Canopy NWA has welcomed more than 900

refugees to this region, helping them not just

survive, but thrive. From housing and education

to youth programs and business support, their

long welcome approach reminds us that

building community takes time, intention

and love. Peter Norman from

CRED Legal Clinic from episode 303,

Peter Norman launched a legal clinic that offers free support to small

businesses and non profits, especially in

rural areas. He's also training a new generation

of lawyers to lead with empathy and justice.

He saw a need, and instead of waiting, he filled

it with heart and with purpose.

And last but not least, Shawn Schwartzman from Potter's House,

episode 297. Sean and his team

at Potter's House have transformed an old school

into a space where relationships flourish across

lines of race, class and culture.

Their programs are built on proximity, getting close

enough to understand, to connect, and

to care. That's what it looks like to love your

neighbor in action. These are just five

stories out of hundreds. Each one

reminds us the beloved community is real

and it's growing right here in Northwest Arkansas.

So I'll ask you the same question Dr. King asked that night

in Memphis. What will happen

to them if I do not stop to help

this week? Ask yourself, who in your

life, your workplace, your neighborhood

needs someone to show up? What small

step can you take to make Northwest

Arkansas or wherever you are a place

of deeper belonging, equity, and

care. Maybe it's reaching out to a neighbor.

Maybe it's supporting a local nonprofit. Maybe

it's just listening more deeply.

Listen. Dr. King closed his mountaintop

speech with hope. Hope that we could rise up

with greater readiness, stand with greater

determination, and make America what it ought

to be. That hope lives on, not just in

speeches, but in stories. And I'm so

grateful to share those stories with you on a regular basis.

Thank you for being a part of this community. Thank you

for listening, and thank you for choosing, in your own

way, to stop and help. Until

next time, take care and keep building the

beloved community right where you are, especially

right here in Northwest Arkansas. I'm Randy Wilburn,

and I'll see you right here next week. Peace

and love.