On the 30th Anniversary of MLK Holiday, his legacy “continues to profoundly inspire”

Washington, DC, Jan. 18, 2016 — As the nation honors the life and legacy of civil rights leader the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, the National LGBTQ Task Force issued the following statement:

“It’s been 30 years since Dr. King’s memory was honored with a federal holiday and yet we still have so much more work to do. Dr. King’s life is a testament to the knowledge that true, positive lasting change is possible when we stand together against injustice — and stand together for our common humanity. People everywhere were moved by his moral courage and unwavering belief that fairness and justice are rights of humanity. With inestimable grace, resilience and determination, he challenged an unjust status quo and championed efforts to dismantle a system that had been purposely constructed to keep black people in the margins. He had faith in the belief that profound wrongs could in fact be righted. Dr. King was critical of our nation’s justice system and once said, ‘Law and order exist for the purpose of establishing justice and when they fail in this purpose they become the dangerously structured dams that block the flow of social progress.’ The Task Force is dedicated to fixing our broken criminal justice system by promoting restorative justice policies and continuing to call for an end to racial profiling and ensuring that people have the supports they need when they return to their communities after a period of incarceration. We won’t stop until we’ve fully delivered on Dr. King’s dream and we believe that his words and deeds continue to profoundly inspire those who desire freedom, justice, equality and equity for all,” Rea Carey, National LGBTQ Task Force.

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CONTACT:
Jorge Amaro
Media and Public Relations Director
213.842.7564
jamaro@thetaskforce.org