Today, my soul is unsettled. Tomorrow, we renew our fight.

Today, I am waking up with my soul unsettled. As a Black woman with the awesome responsibility of serving in Congress, I had hoped to spend today celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by witnessing a Black woman who has fought relentlessly for civil rights take the oath of office as President of the United States.

But this year, on January 20th, America faces a profound and painful contradiction: as we mark the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, a white supremacist will retake the highest office in the land, poised to inflict a world of hurt and harm on the communities we hold dear.

This day is a stark reminder of the fragility of our progress and the persistence of racism, militarism, and economic exploitation — the three evils Dr. King fought so fiercely against. It is also a call to action.

I was elected to Congress in the middle of Trump’s first term. We campaigned on a new kind of politics — one about transformation, not transaction. And it wasn’t just here in Massachusetts. During those four years, a wave of progressive changemakers like me were elected across the country. We ushered in a class of new progressive leaders, and secured a strong check on the executive powers of the Trump administration.

Those victories didn’t just happen by accident. This movement — here in Massachusetts’ 7th district and across the country — didn’t accept defeat and turn to despair.

We unapologetically and relentlessly advocated for our communities and our progressive values. We showed what it looks like when members of Congress actually know and fight for their constituents. We inspired a surge of political engagement, especially among women, young people, and communities of color.

And, we delivered. We made real differences in people’s lives: canceling student debt, protecting and expanding healthcare access, passing substantial climate protections. This diverse, intergenerational movement led by the people has proven the change we can make when we organize, mobilize our collective power, and lead with love.

So, I know you may be feeling scared right now. I know it’s difficult to imagine what the next four years are going to be like.

But I share all of this with you today as a reminder that our movement was never about one election or one corrupt, white supremacist authoritarian. If we are to honor Dr. King’s legacy of beloved community as an antidote to cruelty and chaos, we must grow our movement centered in love and righteous indignation. We must fight for our neighbors and our loved ones. We must dig deep and begin the process of healing at the local level.

On this Martin Luther King Jr. Day, let us reject chaos and commit ourselves to building community. Let us follow Dr. King’s blueprint not with empty platitudes, but with collective action and transformative legislation. Let us have the imagination to envision a more just world, the strategy to bring it to fruition, and the stamina to see it through.

Today, the words of Coretta Scott King, an effective strategist and activist in her own right, are once again on my mind: “Struggle is a never-ending process. Freedom is never really won. You earn it and win it in every generation.”

Our movement remains strong — and now is the time to square our shoulders for this next chapter of fighting for our freedom. So, if you want to counteract today’s events by supporting our movement for bold, transformative change rooted in radical love, please pitch in $25 or anything you can today.

Take care of yourself today, and remember that I see you and I’m always fighting for you.

- Ayanna