Dear John,

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Today, we remember and honor the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. — a man who did more for our country than can ever truly be written or measured.

The past year was challenging for many reasons. We lost civil rights icons like my friend, Congressman John Lewis. We saw nationwide protests in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, and started a tough, uncomfortable conversation about what it means to be Black in America. It is unfortunate that it took these tragedies for us to have an open dialogue — but ultimately, it takes work from all of us to create a better, more equitable world.

We have many bumps in the road ahead of us. Progress isn’t a straight line, and Dr. King had a vision of America that we are still working towards every day. While we may have stumbles on our quest for equality and justice, we have come a long way, and we can be proud of the strides we have made.

Today and every day, I want us all to remember Dr. King’s words, and also remember that we must continue his work and honor his legacy by continuing to fight for what’s right, even when it’s difficult. As Dr. King said, “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.” 

— Rep. Hank Johnson