JOhn,

I have always found these words by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to be especially powerful:

“I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.”

Throughout his unparalleled fight for racial equality, civil rights, and voting rights in the United States, Dr. King spoke eloquently about the arc of the moral universe. He recognized that progress would not be measured in simple linear terms, and he was undeterred. He believed that justice would prevail in the end.

For every great stride we make toward realizing the dream that Dr. King dedicated his life toward, we often discover new barriers — and we even sometimes see progress rolled back.

We must remain dedicated and fearless in the fight for equal justice. We cannot grow overconfident from our victories, and we cannot get lost in despair from our losses.

Today, on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, we recommit to making his words a reality. We acknowledge the fierce urgency of now and the importance of acts of love and compassion in the face of hate. And we pledge to honor Dr. King's life by doing all we can to ensure that the moral arc of the universe will indeed, in the end, bend towards justice.

Sincerely,

Jennifer