Boston, MA — Gubernatorial candidate Danielle Allen issued the following statement on Martin Luther King Day:
“Happy Martin Luther King Day. On this day that is so important for so many of us, I’m reflecting on a quote from Dr. King that means a lot to me. He said, in A Testament of Hope, ‘Integration is meaningless without the sharing of power. When I speak of integration, I don’t mean a romantic mixing of colors, I mean a real sharing of power and responsibility. We will eventually achieve this, but it is going to be much more difficult for us than for any other minority.’
“The heroes of the Civil Rights movement fought for that sharing of power — not just the giants like Elizabeth Eckford, Ella Baker, Bayard Rustin, and Dr. King, but millions of people who rallied to the call and worked in their communities, on the ground, to change our country. To get our communities, Black and Brown communities, the voice and power we need.
“Today, I am grateful beyond words to the people who are carrying that work forward. I’m proud beyond words. And I’m proud to be working alongside you. No, the work isn’t finished. We saw it with George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and far, far too many painful stories just like theirs. We’ve seen it, devastatingly, all throughout the pandemic. And we’re seeing it in how in 2022, access to the vote is under attack.
“Dr. King’s family is calling on us to celebrate his legacy this year not with words, but with action. We can do that by linking arms, and leaning into the work together. We can do that by reimagining and remaking our democracy so that all of us can finally, fully, own our voice in it. We can build a country with health and justice and safety for all. The status quo is not an option. So let’s carry this work forward, in order, as Dr. King said, to make of this old world a new world. Together.”