The irony of a man who has at every turn, vehemently opposed the American ideals of liberty and justice for all; being sworn into the highest office of the land, on the very day we honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. might almost be too much to handle if it wasn’t so supremely American.
I could go on for days about how when Dr. King wrote his letter from Birmingham jail and said “freedom is never given voluntarily by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed” it was regressive policies like those being implemented by the Trump administration that he spoke of.
I could say that when Dr. King mentions that “in the midst of blatant injustices inflicted upon the Negro, I have watched white churchmen stand on the sideline and mouth pious irrelevancies and sanctimonious trivialities” he is speaking of the Joel Olsteen’s and Robert Jefferies of the world who offer hollow “thoughts and prayers” while the oppressed cry for help.
I could even go so far to draw attention to the glaring juxtaposition of the Trump administration with the presidents who held office during Dr. Kings time. From Eisenhower to LBJ each who, for all their flaws, left indelible marks on the civil rights movement, pushed us forward as a country. While this second Trump administration has within 24 hours of inauguration promised more regressive policy and the dismantling of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
None of that would be time well spent because none of that would offer us a plan and path forward as we strive daily to create the beloved community. So instead, I spent my MLK holiday asking one thing: What am I willing to do/give/say to improve the condition of the oppressed?
As friends and family posted pictures of Dr. King smiling, hugging Coretta, playing piano with his children, my thought was, “what a fantastic life”. But the fact of the matter is Dr. King’s short 39 years was marked with police brutality, assaination attempts on his life and that of his family, and the consistent weight of the hopes and dreams of every Black American.
He was willing to give it all.
As we stare into the face of an administration who on day one signed 200 executive actions including: pulling out of the Paris Agreement, signing pardons for over 1500 people involved with the insurrection on January 6th, and shutting down the app for migrants to apply to legally enter the U.S. by seeking asylum; what do we do?
I must admit to you there are some difficult days ahead but if we are to take a page from Dr. King then we must remember that the arc of history bends toward justice – not by chance, but through the determined work of those who bend it. The road ahead will test our resolve, but we’ve faced such moments before and emerged stronger through collective action and unwavering hope.
Dr. King gave us the blueprint: organized resistance, building coalitions across divides, and creating and maintaining community. Our power lies not just in protest, but in voting, in running for local office, in supporting civil rights organizations, in having difficult conversations with neighbors, and in teaching our children to recognize and reject injustice in all its forms.
Even as policies shift and progress seems to retreat, remember that grassroots movements like the SCLC and SNCC have always been the true engine of change in America. Look for organizations like Young Leader Strong City and Texas Organizing Project who are doing the work in your city. When federal leadership falters, state and local activism becomes more crucial than ever. The same spirit that filled the streets of Selma and Washington D.C. lives on in community organizations, in mutual aid networks, in civic engagement groups working tirelessly to protect voting rights and civil liberties.
The beloved community that Dr. King envisioned isn’t just a distant dream – it’s being built right now in neighborhoods across America where people of all backgrounds come together to support one another and stand against division. Every time we choose unity over discord, hope over fear, and love over hate, we add another brick to its foundation.
So what are we willing to do? Everything we can, every single day. Invest in our communities. Register voters. Support civil rights organizations. Run for school boards. Protect the vulnerable. Divest from detractors. Build bridges across divided communities. Teach tolerance. Stand firm against injustice. And most importantly, never lose faith in our capacity to create positive change together.
The path forward isn’t easy, but it’s clear. In Dr. King’s words, “We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now.” Let us meet this moment not with despair, but with the same determined hope that has carried every movement for justice through its darkest hours. The future of equality isn’t just possible – it’s inevitable.