01/19/2026
Today we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., whose work transformed our nation, not through violence, but through the moral force of nonviolent resistance. He taught us that real change comes through peaceful protest, through speaking truth with courage, and through appealing to our shared humanity even in our most divided moments.
We've made tremendous progress since Dr. King's time, yet his work reminds us that progress requires each generation to actively uphold the values of justice, dignity, and equal treatment under law.
These past few weeks, our community has experienced significant unrest. People are afraid. People are angry. These feelings are real and valid. But I ask you to remember Dr. King's words: "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."
Whatever our views on current events, we can agree that every person deserves to be treated with dignity. We can agree that violence and chaos do not make our community safer. And we can agree that the path forward must be grounded in our shared values, not in actions that tear our community apart.
Dr. King faced far greater threats than most of us will ever know, yet he never wavered in his commitment to nonviolent resistance. He showed us that peaceful protest is not weakness, it is strength.
Dr. King's dream was of a beloved community. Let's honor his memory by building that community right here in Robbinsdale; with courage, with compassion, and with peace.