We hold today as a time to remember the values he fought for, and the world he sought to create. The values of justice, inclusion, and the transcendence of surface-level differences to discover our shared bonds of humanity.
But above all, today I recognize the sacrifices he made. His endurance in the face of brutality. His righteousness despite injustice has allowed people like me to stand on his shoulders and provide our own for the next generation.
It is through his legacy that I, someone who looks very different from most of my neighbors, can run for office and be so warmly received. It is this American project, this evolution that is never done, that Dr. King was dedicated to.
This day is dedicated to the man who inspired others to fight, bleed, live, and die beside him. Without his holding up a mirror to society, I would not be here.
Regardless of color, today is a day that touches us all, and demands that we strive to accept finite disappointment but never lose infinite hope.