by BLMLA
Black Lives Matter and Clergy 4 Black Lives celebrate the radical legacy of our beloved ancestor, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. His courageous example of sacred resistance, for which he paid the ultimate price, guides us forward in today’s Black freedom struggle. Dr. King’s vision of the Beloved Community compels us to build the conditions of Black flourishing that demand the abolition of white supremacy, anti-Blackness, and racism through nonviolent, direct action. We move in the spirit of radical love that our most powerful ancestors entrusted to us.
The “triple evils” of militarism, white supremacy, and racial capitalism persist. From the failed white supremacist coup at the Capitol to the COVID-19 pandemic’s disproportionate harm to Black people, we recognize that our generational call is an urgent one. As we fight against these threats to Beloved Community, we look to Rev. Dr. King’s powerful words, vision, and legacy to guide us forward in confidence that we will win. We summon the same strength and ancestral wisdom that he and other Black Freedom fighters called upon to meet the challenges of our lifetime.
As we celebrate the powerful legacy of Rev. Dr. King, we simultaneously recognize the collective power of the movement and the masses with whom he struggled. We pay homage to Coretta Scott King, Bayard Rustin, Ella Baker, Fannie Lou Hamer, Rev. C.T. Vivian, Rosa Parks, John Lewis, Rev. Joseph Lowery, and countless freedom fighters, including those whose names we do not know. In doing so, we make visible what Dr. King knew intimately, that when everyday people live out the call of beautiful struggle above all else, we build the world we all deserve to live in. We are grateful for their collective sacrifices and legacies, and we struggle in their honor today and the days ahead.
Black Lives Matter Instagram: @blklivesmatter Clergy 4 Black Lives Instagram: @clergy4blacklives
BLMLA Instagram: @blmlosangeles Black Lives Matter Twitter: @blklivesmatter BLMLA Twitter: @BLMLA
Black Lives Matter Website: blacklivesmatter.com BLMLA Website: blmla.org
