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WASHINGTON, DC — Today, in recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Damon Hewitt, President and Executive Director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, issued the following statement:

“This morning, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Americans woke up to a nation standing at a crossroads. A day meant for reflection on the profound legacy of Dr. King and his enduring fight for freedom coincides with the inauguration of a president whose rhetoric and actions seek to undermine the ideals Dr. King espoused and defended.

“Nationwide, we have seen the resurgence of the racial animus and divisive ideologies Dr. King dared to take head on. Yet, as Dr. King taught us, the fight for equity is not confined to moments of adversity, but is a continuous journey requiring faith and determination. He also taught us that liberation is a participatory endeavor in which we all have a role to play. We cannot get to the proverbial mountaintop through critique alone. We must all do the hard work to advance racial justice. Today, the Lawyers’ Committee honors Dr. King not only by remembering his tireless work, but by recommitting ourselves to be agents of change in this new chapter in our nation’s history.  

“In these uncertain times, it is critical to keep our eyes on the prize, focused on the work of building the country Dr. King believed we can become. While many are rightfully concerned about what the future may hold, this King holiday reminds us that we stand on the shoulders of giants and that we can endure, because they endured. Today also reminds us that the fight for civil rights is not a mere relic of the past—it is the work of the present and a dream for the future. Let us honor Dr. King by rolling up our sleeves and joining together to create the country we can be, and to claim the future we deserve.”

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