Barbara Lee

Dear Friend, Today we celebrate the life and legacy of our drum major for justice, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I am reminded of his April 1967 speech at Riverside Church, in which he told us that this country must address the three evils of poverty, racism and militarism. Racism is alive and well in America. Just two weeks ago, the U.S. Capitol was stormed in a violent attempted coup by white supremacists. A confederate flag was brought into the Capitol, a noose was hung outside and Black Capitol Hill police officers – while defending our democracy, the Capitol building, members of Congress and staff – had to fight in combat to defend themselves and were called the N word numerous times. Systemic racism has been manifested over and over by immeasurable losses and tragedies. The brutal murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and so many more, the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Black and Brown communities, and all of the inequities in our country once again acknowledge the painful and dangerous legacy of white supremacy and the urgent need to fully acknowledge and address it. Poverty rates continue to soar while the bloated pentagon budget continues to increase with billions in waste, fraud and abuse in unaccounted for tax dollars and trillions spent on unauthorized wars. Dr. King passed the baton to us and gave us his marching orders: ‘Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability but comes through continuous struggle.’ Let us be inspired to make ‘good trouble’ in his memory. Best, Image Barbara Lee