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By Rev. Dr. Gregory Edwards, Executive Director, POWER Interfaith 

January 20th marks an extraordinary confluence of events: the inauguration of our nation’s next president and the commemoration of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s enduring legacy. This overlap is both symbolic and sobering, illuminating the vast distance between Dr. King’s prophetic vision and the present state of our nation.

Dr. King was more than a dreamer. He was a prophet of resistance, calling for an end to racism, poverty, and militarism. Yet, year after year, his message is diluted, his radical demands for justice sanitized into soundbites. On this day, when America celebrates both a transfer of power and the life of a man who challenged the powerful, we must confront the paradox: How can we honor Dr. King while policies and rhetoric that undermine his vision persist?

Dr. King taught us that true peace is not the absence of tension but the presence of justice. He demanded systemic change, knowing it would come only through the relentless efforts of ordinary people committed to extraordinary action. His words, “The time is always right to do what is right,” echo across decades, urging us to act boldly and urgently.

As we reflect on this historic day, let us not settle for symbolic gestures. Honoring Dr. King means engaging in the hard work of organizing, voting, and advocating for policies that reflect his vision of a beloved community. It means standing in solidarity with the marginalized and oppressed and speaking truth to power, no matter the cost.

Dr. King would be advocating for policies that strike at the heart of systemic injustice. He would call for the passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, safeguarding the cornerstone of our democracy. In Pennsylvania, he would champion raising the minimum wage so that workers can live with dignity and advocating for equitable school funding to ensure every child, regardless of their zip code, has the opportunity to thrive. These are not just legislative priorities but moral imperatives that demand our collective action. To honor Dr. King is to fight for the justice he envisioned, turning remembrance into resolve and rhetoric into reality.

This moment calls for more than remembrance. It calls for recommitment to the work of justice. Let us honor Dr. King not with mere words but with deeds that bend the arc of the moral universe closer to justice. Take action today by contacting your elected officials to demand the passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, a fair minimum wage, and equitable school funding—because justice begins with your voice.

Rev. Dr. Gregory Edwards is Founder and Senior Pastor of Resurrected Life United Church of Christ in Allentown, PA, and has been a community organizer for several years. Most recently, Rev. Dr. Edwards was appointed Executive Director of POWER Interfaith, Pennsylvania’s largest multiracial, multifaith, multigenerational faith-based organizing entity.

An abbreviated version of this letter was published in the Opinion section of The Morning Call (1/30/25). See below.