Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King and his effect on race relations

By Josh Resnek

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

If you have ever visited the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC, then you might have noticed there is an inscription about way up the granite stairs leading to the memorial.

The inscription reads: I HAVE A DREAM MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. There is also inscribed in the marble the date of the event memorialized with an impressive inscription.

The famous inscription noting where MLK stood.

It was right there on that spot in front of Lincoln’s impressive statue in 1964 that MLK delivered his triumphant speech during the historic March on Washington when 250,000 mostly Black men, women and children travelled to Washington DC to speak out against segregation when race relations were literally on the rocks.

The speech King delivered, which many of us can remember well, is called the “I Have A Dream Speech. It is considered one of the epic, notable, brilliant and compelling speeches of the 20th Century and with good reason.

King brought 250,000 people to Washington DC to plead for their rights while at the same time to implore officials to end the segregation that was so corrosively ugly and damaging during that decade in American history.

The setting for the speech on the steps of the Lincoln memorial, within view of Congress, the reflecting pool and the White House on the National Mall in the centre of Washington D.C. made the speech an international spectacle. Dr King called it hallowed ground. It is no wonder that this speech has gone down in American history as one of the seminal moments in the life and times of our democracy.

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Letter to the Editor

Letter to the Editor

As Everett’s first person of color to serve as Personnel Director for current Mayor DeMaria, former Mayor Hanlon, and former Mayor Ragucci between 2005 and 2009, I applaud the 3/25/21 Leader Herald’s Editorial promoting racial diversity in the Everett workforce. During this post-George Floyd racial reckoning era, it is important to highlight the need for more racial diversity. That stated I disagree with the editorial’s premise that “ Everett must integrate its workforce” (which the editorial mischaracterizes as “nearly all-white”) and that there are “ pretend efforts to bring diversity into City government.” Everett’s workforce is already integrated and it’s on a trajectory for an even more diverse and inclusive workforce than currently exists.\

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Adrien calls for racial reform, justice

Newly elected Everett City Councilor Gerly Adrien speaks to the room during her election celebration party at Braza Bar And Grill January 11, 2020. (Photo by Joseph Prezioso)

Gets little support from fellow city councilors

By JOSH RESNEK

When it comes to going public on the great issues of the day, Councilor Gerly Adrien leads her colleagues on the city council and goes to places where most of them do not wish to venture.

In what she refers to as her end of September Update to residents, Adrien decried racism, highlighting the Breonna Taylor murder during a mistaken police drug raid, asked for the advance of police reform and equity “even though I get backlash because it is crucial to have uncomfortable conversations to change what we have going in Everett.”

In public and private conversations, the mayor and some of her council colleagues, have complained that Adrien is not suitable as an Everett voice because she doesn’t carry the party line.

As the first woman of color to serve on the Everett City Council, Adrien has been blazing a trail all of her own during her first nine months in office.

Her conversations about racism in the public forum have not sat well with her colleagues, or the mayor, who has distanced himself from her and who basically excludes her from city debates, celebration and announcements he tries to manipulate and control.

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