Dr. King & Dr. Mugenga

At any given moment, in my childhood home, in early 2000s Kicukiro, one could hear loud, unprovoked, theatrical recitations from dad “I have a dreammm that Oh!Oh! One Dayyy– Eh! Eh! Eh! Ibaze nukuri…Every Hill and Every Mountain” Then he’d add commentary. “En fait, ibaze kwifata ukanga umuntu umuziza uruhu.” (TR: Imagine waking up & saying today I will hate someone based on skin color….)

Dad had schooled in US in the 80s and been so impressed with the Black Liberation movement, he’d memorized Dr. Martin Luther King’s famous speech. My sisters & I only spoke Kinyarwanda at that time and were learning French so we didn’t understand the deep message of equality he was attempting to pass, we’d just sit in admiration and consider it to be another one of dad’s fun eccentricities.

Fast forward many years later. Determined to erase dad’s early years’ suffering, I am always doing things to impress him. When I was tasked with giving the farewell speech of my college graduating class, I added a coded message to dad in my language saying “Papa, wambonye?” TR: Daddy look at me now! He was amused, supportive, happy, but not necessarily impressed. When small money started to come in and I put him on a daddy salary, he was grateful, happy but not necessarily impressed. Even when, by pure chance, I found myself an extra in the billion dollar film, Black Panther, he laughed and was more confused that impressed. Lastly, by the unmerited grace of God, this past year, I have been in rooms with 4 Presidents total (Liberia, Kenya, Ireland, US), and sent on Business Trips to 4 nations (Chad, Mali, Kenya, DRC). Dad congratulated my growing career, was very proud, but he was not necessarily impressed.

You see, the only one thing that TRULY impresses him is not money, not possessions, not power; but nobility of character. So yesterday, when I sent him a picture of me and Dr. Bernice King, daughter of MLK, standing in his city of Birth, Atlanta, at the King Center after completing a day of service. Dad said, “sha noneho ndemeye!” TR: I am impressed! Wheww, about time! Haha -Eternal Love,