John,
Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. In honor of the holiday, I wanted to share a few words on what this day — and what Dr. King — means to me.
When I talk about the Founding Fathers of America, I think about Dr. King. He was the bold, clear, and unapologetic heart of the civil rights movement, leaving us with the blueprint when it comes to making structural and social change to this very day. As an educator and Congressman, I've turned many times to his words and teachings for guidance.
That's why it pains me that so many decades after his death, we still have not achieved Martin Luther King's dream.
Our country is more segregated than ever. An unchecked, year-long pandemic continues to ravage our communities, disproportionately impacting Black, brown, and poor folks. Unemployment is at an all-time high, families struggle to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads, all while our government continues to uphold a racist and unjust legal system that allows police brutality and mass incarceration to run rampant.
Meanwhile, white supremacy and an unwillingness to confront America's racist, violent past continues to hold us back from becoming an exceptional nation for all. On the day of our culturally and politically historic Georgia victories, our celebrations were halted by a violent insurrection at our nation's Capitol, fueled by the seditious intentions of our very own president and his mob of white nationalist supporters. We as a society — as a nation — are a long way from achieving Dr. King’s dream.
But as far away as we are to achieving that dream of becoming an exceptional nation for all, we're seeing a new generation of Founding Fathers, Founding Mothers, and Founding Children all over the streets today. And the mandate is clear: we must build a new America.
We must begin the process of healing and reparations — repairing the decades of injustice and brutality while rebuilding and supporting our communities, particularly within Black and brown communities. We must invest in jobs and education, not jails and incarceration. We must make way to lead by the grassroots, by the working class, and by those who have been at the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder for far too long.
As we continue to honor the legacy of Dr. King today and look forward to the work ahead, let us all recommit to continuing the difficult work of building an exceptional country based not on greed, hatred, and fear, but on multiracial democracy, humanity, and love.
Peace and love,
Jamaal Bowman
