Nearly 60 years ago, a quarter-million people traveled to the National Mall in Washington for the March On Washington For Jobs and Freedom. The words they heard that late summer afternoon in front of the Lincoln Memorial rang across the reflecting pools, through the halls of Congress, and into the classrooms of every American.

I dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The persuasive speech that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered that day framed the fight for civil rights for his generation and countless more. Dr. King's words also defined who he was as a leader — someone with a mission, vision, and dream to transform the United States into a land where everyone was created equal.

We replay this moment in history, especially during this month where we recognize all that has occurred in Black History. The "I Have a Dream" speech is a truly inspiring example of how transformational leadership is defined by identifying and articulating a vision and this, in particular, resonates with all of us at Galiatea. The past year has certainly been challenging and a year where we pivoted our business model and redirected our vision for how we continue to serve our artisans and our many and varied clients.

All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence. - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

One reason that Dr. King's words are etched in the history books is that he clearly and concisely articulated his demands of the United States — equality for everyone. This speech, in particular, has lasting impact on American history and influence on businesses like Galiatea for several main reasons. It came at the right time and place. Dr. King's words were transformational and urgent because the problem was now. Finally, the words and phrases he used as he spoke to his audience that day resonated with them. Dr. King always knew the why behind what he was doing. Part of what made the “I Have a Dream” speech so inspirational was that it painted a picture of what Dr. King saw for the future.

Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend. – Dr. Martin Luther King,

Jr.

Such a vision and clear understanding of mission are foundational to the strategic planning that Galiatea went through last year and has been implementing even now during these first months of 2021. We began by creating and articulating our compelling vision for making an impact in the world and painting a picture of where we want to be. We’ve shared these ideas in past blogs but want to take a minute to reflect on them now.

So what is Galiatea's Dream Vision?

If you haven’t visited www.galiatea.com lately, we encourage you to do so. There are so many resources available from the website. Everyone with a design project, whether new to design or an experienced designer, with a project no matter how small or large, can benefit from browsing through our website and blog.

We will be including even more items in The Galiatea Collection this year, handmade by artisans from additional countries. We are always looking at what is happening to our customers and artisans, so that we can be of better service in the coming year and to have an even bigger impact in these artisans’ communities.

In recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute. – Thurgood Marshall

Because of COVID, like many businesses, we made a shift last year and moved into the digital space, going 100% virtual and opening up the unique luxury furniture and accessories in The Galiatea Collection to the public!⁠ We wanted to make these unique handmade items accessible to everyone, not just designers. And decided to move online and open up our hand-crafted items to consumers so that they might directly purchase a piece of luxury craftsmanship. We also added the ability to include design services and an online consultation into offerings.

As part of our move into the digital space, we started our Design In-Sights podcast and Season 2 will be released soon! Don’t miss our blogs as they will focus on even more timely design topics and trends. We will also be taking a deeper inside look at each country that products in The Galiatea Collection come from. The blog is an interesting quick read each week that offers tidbits of info you may not know. Check them out for more inspiration!⁠

We continue to live for the Galiatea mission that we can create something better through our artisans and, in the process, stay connected to and make an impact in the world. It is even more important to stay connected and to be united in purpose…together. We look for 2021 to be our year to ensure that we have spread love, positivity, connection and found a way for all to feel heard and valued. To serve…our artisans, our clients, our partners, our designers and all of you.

As Dr. King so rightly stated:

Everybody can be great … because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.

It starts with each of us. We have the ability to make an impact larger than we realize. Each small act of service in each of our own universes can have an impact on a much larger scale. Small acts can create shifts in a profound way. So, in this Black History Month, all of us at Galiatea commemorate and reflect on the remarkable African American trailblazers who have left enduring legacies by igniting a desire for hope and change.

A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives. – Jackie Robinson

Editors Note: We believe Black History should be celebrated and honored on a continual basis and not just for one month of the year. Black History is American History and we are proud allies of the BIPOC Community.