In the aftermath of the violence that rocked our country last week — reminding us of the fragility of our democracy and the enduring danger of white supremacy — the opportunity to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. Day is especially meaningful this year.
If this recent attack — and the atrocities of the last four years — have shown us anything, it is the importance of speaking truth to power. Our democracy has always relied upon those willing to speak hard truths and stand in their convictions, regardless of the attacks they face.
But in the retelling, the rich and complicated humanity of leaders like Dr. King is all too often replaced by two-dimensional, white-washed versions that fit neatly in our storybooks.
At his heart, Dr. King was a radical — a radical dreamer who imagined and fought to create a more just society. Today, Dr. King is revered, but In his time, he was widely vilified. So much so that his life was not given, but stolen by evil forces who saw the progress he represented as an existential threat.
When I think of Dr. King, I don’t think of the monuments or annual celebrations — I think of Ferguson, I think of Minneapolis. I think of the justice seekers and table shakers who have taken to the streets in the name of good trouble in communities across our country.
Dr. King knew that movements are inherently messy, that whenever we speak out against injustice, there are bound to be those who will work to shame, intimidate, and scare us away from the progress we seek. But what his example teaches us is that we can’t allow that messiness to deter us from the task at hand.
In this moment of reckoning, justice is what we seek and justice is what we demand. Racial justice, economic justice, healthcare justice, transportation justice for every person in our country and our world.
Dr. King gave us the blueprint for these and so many other radical fights. And now, it is our opportunity, our responsibility, and our duty to carry on his legacy in our ongoing struggle for equity and justice for all.
Thank you, Dr. King.
Ayanna Pressley
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