Black leaders in Boston urge solidarity and justice as Trump inauguration falls on Martin Luther King Day
BOSTON - With President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration falling on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, members of the Black community in Boston said the coincidence generates some complicated feelings for them.
Deeply concerned about Trump presidency
Standing in solidarity and with a deep sense of urgency, dozens gathered on Boston Common Friday to help kick off MLK Weekend.
"We are here in the shadows of the Embrace, which is a powerful testimony to what held King up," said Boston City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune.
Community, city, church and state leaders, as well as racial justice advocates, led the pre-inauguration event, which they described will be a historic weekend. Through prayer and action, the group was asked to embrace radical love and to march forward. Many at the event said they are deeply concerned about the upcoming Trump presidency.
"If Donald Trump follows through on even some of his campaign promises, vulnerable people in Massachusetts and nationwide will suffer," said Traci Griffith, the racial justice program director of the ACLU of Massachusetts.
"As we face the challenges of another Trump presidency, we will need you, we will need one another, we will need radical love and cooperative governing now more than over," said Rep. Ayanna Pressley.
Inspired by Dr. King
Embrace President and CEO Imari Paris Jeffries said King's message of justice and equality are just as important now as it was 60 years ago.
"Towards the end of his life, Dr. King thought three things were most important. Anti-war, anti-poverty and anti-racism," said Jeffries. "This weekend, there will be services and joyful events but we want to start off with justice."
People at the event held up signs and encouraged one another to embrace, stand together and never give up the fight.
"It also felt important to just, in the context of the inauguration taking place on MLK Day, to also be grounded in community," said Gabriella Amora of the ACLU.
"Our country is at a crossroads and coming together is what we believe at Boston Children's Chorus we need to do," said Boston Children's Chorus Executive Director Andres Holder.
This is the second time Inauguration Day has fallen on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - it happened for the second inaugurations of former presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. It doesn't happen again until 2053.
