Martin Luther King Jr. believed in love over violence, hope over fear, and unity over divisiveness. His legacy inspires each space, activity, and all content shared with our guests.
Rest is Resistance: Honoring the Dream through Collective Rest
Join us on a transformative journey of collective rest, inspired by Tricia Hersey’s Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto. This challenge explores the many forms of rest—physical, social, mental, and spiritual—and their role in nurturing personal and communal well-being. As we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream, we embrace rest as a radical act of self-care, healing, and resistance against burnout.
Why Rest?
Rest is essential for our bodies, minds, and communities. It promotes:
- Physical Recovery: Helps repair the body and restore energy.
- Mental Clarity: Reduces stress and enhances focus and creativity.
- Emotional Balance: Cultivates resilience and nurtures self-compassion.
- Social Connection: Encourages deeper, more meaningful relationships.
Feel free to complete the Rest Challenge in a sequence or at your own pace. Each “rest stop” highlights a specific type of rest and its benefits, with a reflection, prompt and invitation.
Rest Stops
As we conclude the challenge, we honor Dr. King’s legacy by acknowledging that rest is a human right. Rest is not merely a pause but a declaration of our worth and a resistance against systems that seek to devalue us.
Acknowledgments:
This Rest Challenge is inspired by Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto by Tricia Hersey, founder of The Nap Ministry. Her work reminds us that rest is a pathway to liberation and community healing.
Living Dream Wall: Share Your Dream with Us
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s I Have a Dream speech invited us to imagine a world transformed by justice, equality, and hope. At Conner Prairie, we honor his legacy by creating a Living Dream Wall—a vibrant, evolving space where participants can share their dreams for the future through art, writing, and creativity.
Dreaming starts with rest. As Tricia Hersey reminds us in Rest is Resistance, "Rest gives us space to imagine." When we rest, our minds and hearts can imagine big ideas and new possibilities. Rest helps us dream of a world that is kinder, fairer, and full of hope.
We invite you to contribute to this collective vision. What are your dreams for yourself, your community, or the world? How can we build a future that aligns with Dr. King’s vision of justice and love?
How to Participate:
- Express your dream in your own way:
- Write a short message, poem, or story.
- Create a drawing, painting, or collage.
- Share a photo, video, or digital artwork.
- Any medium is welcome!
- Add your contribution to the Living Dream Wall at Conner Prairie by posting on Facebook, Instagram, X or directly using the QR Code.
- Include #cpmlkday25 with your submission if you'd like to be highlighted on our website and social channels. By including your social handle, you’ll help us amplify your voice and connect your vision to a broader community of dreamers.
Please note: We are excited to see your dream, so if your account is private we will not be able to see your contribution to our Living Dream Wall. Stories and reels will not be visible on the dream wall—only static posts.
Join the Movement: Dream, Rest, and Create Together
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. inspired us all with his dream of a better world. He believed in justice, kindness, and fairness for everyone. To help keep his dream alive, we invite you to be part of a movement that celebrates rest and imagination.
2023 Be Love Essay Contest
In 2023, Conner Prairie celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day by inviting students to write an essay in which they reflect on the theme of love. This essay contest was one way Conner Prairie engaged students to honor Martin Luther King Jr. and the many activists who inspired the Civil Rights Movement. The contest was open to students grades 3 through 12. In their essays, students reflected on how they have experienced love in their lives and how they can pledge to “BE LOVE” for themselves, their family, their community, and the world.
Read the 2023 Be Love Essay Contest Winners: