#Dream4Justice March Connects Racial Justice and Police Reform Movements of Today to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Enduring Legacy

Today, on Martin Luther King Day, Communities United for Police Reform (CPR) will join the #Dream4Justice NYC march in Harlem, along with groups from across the city, and connect Dr. Martin Luther King’s legacy to current efforts to fight systemic racial and economic injustice and to end discriminatory and abusive policing.  

CPR member groups including the following will be marching: Arab American Association of New York, Bill of Rights Defense Committee, Brooklyn Movement Center, Brotherhood/SisterSol, CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities, ColorOfChange, FIERCE, Jews for Racial & Economic Justice, Justice Committee, Latino Justice, Make the Road New York, Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, New York City Anti-Violence Project, New York Communities for Change, Picture the Homeless, Streetwise and Safe, and VOCAL-NY.  The march is organized by the Justice League NYC.

“If Dr. King was still alive today, he would be in the streets demanding justice for communities of color that have been harmed and wronged by police brutality and violence. I can think of no better way to honor Dr. King’s legacy this year than by joining the #Dream4Justice march. We want Mayor de Blasio, Commissioner Bratton to recognize that discriminatory broken windows policing is increasing the divide between our communities and the NYPD. We need policing that respects the dignity of all New Yorkers and an end to discriminatory and abusive practices,” said Mark Winston Griffith, Executive Director of the Brooklyn Movement Center, a leader of Communities United for Police Reform, and an active participant in recent police protests.

"Today, LGBTQ youth leaders at Streetwise & Safe will march in solidarity with oppressed people across the nation to celebrate the dream and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King and the leadership of Dr. King's master strategist, Bayard Rustin, a gay man who called Harlem home, went into the streets after the Harlem Riots of 1964, organized the March on Washington, and developed enduring strategies for human rights movements and civil rights struggles against state violence," said Chris Bilal, Campaign Staffer for Policing, Streetwise & Safe.

"We are marching today because we are fighting to build a city that is safe for us all. Over policing, excessive ticketing, and on-going harassment and brutality forces us to live in fear and sucks resources out of our communities. How can this result in health and safety? At the end of the day the reason we're protesting is because we want New Yorkers of color to be able to grow up and live,” said Justice Committee Co-Director Loyda Colon.  

"We are taking to the streets today to reclaim the legacy and power of Martin Luther King Jr. and every other warrior who took the streets to demand justice. We will let our voices ring out, put our bodies on the line and demand justice and liberation for black lives and everyone who faces injustices in this world. This is our moment, our time to stand and fight for our right to exist,” said Fred Ginyard, Organizing Director, FIERCE.

"Too many broken families and communities at the hands of unjust policies of police departments that target communities of color. We know if Dr. King were alive today he would be at the front lines of the fight to end all forms of discriminatory police practices including ending unwarranted surveillance of Arab American and American Muslims. In his honor and legacy, we march with our fellow New Yorkers for justice, accountability and equality,” said Linda Sarsour, Executive Director, Arab American Association of New York.

"I believe for every drop of rain that falls a flower will grow, for every time we march and stand up for justice, we shall be heard and a change is gonna come!!!,” said Darlene Bryant, Picture the Homeless.

"The New York City Anti-Violence Project is honored to march next to thousands of New Yorkers as we #Dream4Justice on Martin Luther King Day. Nationally and locally we see a movement calling for greater police accountability that is led by the people most impacted by police violence, among those people are LGBTQ and HIV affected communities who have been leading this work for generations,” said Shelby Chestnut, Co-Director of Community Organizing and Public Advocacy, New York City Anti-Violence Project.

"Jews for Racial & Economic Justice joins CPR and the Black Lives Matter Movement in a powerful call to action -- to end state violence and to counter the systemic institutional violence that denies black people basic human rights and dignity in this country,” said Marjorie Dove Kent, Executive Director, Jews for Racial & Economic Justice.

"Today we march to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his vision for equality and justice for all people. Dr. King and others involved in the Civil Rights movement proved the power of non-violent protests and we carry on that tradition as we demand an end to police violence everywhere,” said Bobby Tolbert, VOCAL-NY Board Member.

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