This morning, I joined many neighbors at the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Drum Major breakfast, sponsored by the New Rochelle Community Action Program. And last Friday, I attended the annual King observance, arranged by the Coalition for Mutual Respect. Both were great, well-attended events, and I thank the organizers for their hard work.
At occasions like these or simply in moments of quiet reflection, our thoughts naturally turn to the struggles and accomplishments of the Civil Rights movement. It is entirely right to honor the courage and leadership of Dr. King and the other heroes who labored at his side – just as it is right to celebrate the progress won by their sacrifices.
But it would be a mistake to wrap up the movement in a tidy box and stick it on a shelf labeled “history.” Because we are still living it. When we consider the stark, persistent, uncomfortable inequalities in every arena – from economics, to education, to public health – we know that there is still work to be done. Work not just for some of us; work for all of us.