Listening to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Today we celebrate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Let us all take some time over the long weekend to rest and reflect.

In the months before he was assassinated, Dr. King was as focused as ever on fighting three evils – “the evil of racism, the evil of poverty, and the evil of war.”

The Civil Rights victories in the mid-1960s were critical steps forward, but not justice. Today, racism and poverty continue to harm people and communities, so we continue to live with these injustices. Dr. King called on everyone to reject the mindset that poverty and racism are normal or just the way things are. We need to change our minds and our systems.

Today, many people have lost income or other support due to impacts of COVID, making it hard to keep up with housing costs. This is not their fault. This is the result of systems and policies that allow poverty and racism. And it does not have to be this way. We have the power and resources to guarantee stable housing for all. At REACH, we will do our part to extend the non-payment eviction moratorium as long as possible and will seek more rent assistance to help all who need it.

We can also advocate for anti-racist and anti-poverty policies and be open to changing our own practices. With State and National Legislatures convening this month, there will be opportunities to advocate for change. REACH is participating in the National Low Income Housing Coalition, Oregon Housing Alliance & Washington Low Income Housing Alliance, and we’ll share more as the legislatures begin meeting.

In Dr. King’s words:
“There is nothing new about poverty. It’s been with us for years and centuries. What is new at this point though, is that we now have the resources, we now have the skills, we now have the techniques to get rid of poverty. And the question is whether our nation has the will.”

This weekend is a great time to listen to Dr. King’s words & think about how we can live by them today. Below is a list of resources to further our awareness and make Monday not just a day off, but a day of celebration.

Ways to Celebrate:

Videos For Kids:

Books: