Every year on the third Monday in January, we celebrate a true hero – the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Originally established in 1983 as a federal holiday marking the birthday of Dr. King, the meaning behind this special day continues to grow and is now also observed as a national day of service. Dr. King’s leadership in confronting injustice and using nonviolent protests throughout the mid-‘50s and ‘60s is still as inspiring and powerful today as it was then.

From his instrumental role in the Montgomery Bus Boycott, to organizing the March on Washington and forging ahead arm in arm across the Edmund Pettus Bridge from Selma to Montgomery, until his assassination in 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. believed in the “fierce urgency of now” on the journey to enact change.[1] He was arrested 30 times in his fight against grave inequality, oppression and prejudice, but through it all, his messages of inclusion, empowerment, love and peace persevered. On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, this Jan. 15, we come together to reflect on the progress we’ve made, as well as recommit ourselves to his quest to let freedom ring.

Dr. King’s life and actions give us an enduring reminder that we must continue to stand up for what is right no matter how arduous the task may seem. In the words of Dr. King, “We cannot walk alone. And as we walk we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back.”[2] That’s why I’m fighting to ensure each and every New Yorker is treated fairly and has an opportunity to succeed. Whether it’s investing in our public school system so that more students have a chance to live up to their potential or standing up for families struggling to make ends meet, I’m working to fulfill Dr. King’s vision of making our world a better place.

In the Assembly, we led the way to raise the minimum wage and establish a paid family leave program to help put economic security within reach for more New Yorkers.

We’ve come a long way in the years since Dr. King’s landmark “I Have a Dream” speech, but inequality and injustice still exist. Now is the time for progress and change, and you can count on me to keep his legacy alive and work day in and day out to improve New Yorkers’ lives. As always, my door is open. Please don’t hesitate to reach out and contact my office at Thielef@nyassembly.gov or at 631-537-2583.

____________________________________