We stand on the shoulders of giants — none more so than those of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Today presents us with the opportunity to reflect on the liberties that Dr. King and so many dedicated their lives to giving us.

As we see a new generation join those who marched with Dr. King and those who fought for the right to marry the person they love and secure the right to bodily autonomy, the work still continues. These new leaders seek to honor his legacy by making lasting, meaningful change to this nation that carries so much promise.

With the rights that so many of us hold dear threatened across the nation and here in our Commonwealth, we are reminded of Dr. King’s grace, passion, and righteousness in the face of hatred and bigotry. And it steels in us the fire needed to protect the rights of all Americans, and continue to push this nation forward toward a more perfect union.

VADEMS