Eliza Seigel, high school student, McLean:
"With the increasingly polarized times that we live in, sometimes it feels like the differences between one another are becoming more decisive. With every political and social event that has happened these past years both locally and nationally that was meant to divide us or separate us, there have been reactions that brought all kinds of people from all walks of life together.
With every event like what happened in Charlottesville, there was a community that came together to say that hatred and violence are intolerable and we must progress to make the world a better place.
That community in the aftermath brought people together, and in that particular sense, Dr. King's dream is very much alive."
Photo by Mercia Hobson
Laura Warrington, student, Great Falls:
Since Dr. King's time, there has been much progress in our society, especially in Northern Virginia, which has become a diverse and welcoming community. However, there are still instances that make me think my country is taking a step backward. Like the march in Charlottesville. I think Reston, in particular, has maintained its welcoming position through difficult times in the past year and serves as an example of Dr. King's dream for other communities to follow."
