Friends -

Today and every day we honor the life and legacy of one of the greatest fighters for justice in all of our history — Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

As we reflect on his legacy, we must recognize that we still have a great deal of work to do to dismantle the structures of systemic and institutional racism that Dr. King devoted his life to fighting against.

Dr. King taught us that the dream of freedom could only be realized when every person has a fair and equal vote at the ballot box. He knew that the ballot is the key to realizing the liberty that all Americans deserve, and upon which justice relies.

Today our job is to ensure his lesson on freedom is reflected in our democracy. That is why we must pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and the Freedom to Vote Act now, and we must abolish the filibuster to do it. Every person — no matter their race, gender, socioeconomic status, or creed — must have their voices heard in our democracy, just as Dr. King called for decades ago.

In his historic “I Have a Dream” speech in August 1963, Dr. King said:

“Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quick sands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.”

Here we are over 58 years later, and those words ring truer than ever.

So let us recommit ourselves and our movement to Dr. King’s dream, and to the continuing struggle toward justice and true freedom for all.

Thank you for being a part of that fight.

In solidarity,

Ed Markey