Caribbean pols join Brooklyn Dems in honoring Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Caribbean elected officials on Monday jointed the Brooklyn Democratic Party in honoring slain American civil rights leader the Rev. Dr. Martin King, Jr. on the day commemorating his birth.

“This Monday, on Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, we celebrate one of the greatest activists and advocates for social justice in our nation’s history,” Haitian-American Assembly Member Rodneyse Bichotte-Hermelyn, chair of the Brooklyn Democratic Party, told Caribbean Life.

“Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led empowering change to confront bigotry, hatred and violent discrimination by eloquently advocating for equal rights and freedom for all,” added the representative for the 42nd Assembly District in Brooklyn.

“Dr. King courageously confronted these injustices through peaceful protests and selfless leadership, promoting unity and propelling the Civil Rights Movement forward nationally,” continued Bichotte-Hermelyn. “Dr. King encouraged everyone to live up to their purpose and potential by helping others.”

She said Martin Luther King Day,  held on the late leader’s birthday, “carries forward Dr. King’s enduring legacy of selfless service as the only federal holiday designated as a National Day of Service.

“The Brooklyn Democratic Party is committed to honoring Dr. King’s legacy, as we join the nation in encouraging all to volunteer in unity to improve our communities,” added Bichotte Hermelyn, urging the community to join the Brooklyn Democratic Party by giving back to the community in joining winter clothing distribution in partnership with District Leaders Sarana Purcell and Anthony Beckford (43rd AD) at 1151 Nostrand Avenue, Brooklyn.

Bichotte Hermelyn also urged the community to participate in the Vanguard Democrats Food Distribution, hosted with District Leaders Henry Butler and Kenesha Traynham-Cooper (56th AD), at Stuy Gardens, 730 Gates Ave., Brooklyn; and in the Shirley Chisholm Democratic Club Coat Drive, hosted by Bichotte Hermelyn and District Leader Josue Pierre of AD 42, at Salem Missionary Baptist Church, 305 East, 21st Street, Brooklyn.

In quoting Rev. King, Bichotte Hermelyn said: “Make a career of humanity. Commit yourself to the noble struggle for equal rights. You will make a better person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in.”

“Martin Luther King, Jr. Day encourages Americans to ‘take a day on, not in,’ as a Federal Holiday that is also a National Day of Service,” the assemblywoman said. “Dr. King’s eloquent speeches, moving teachings, and activism also encouraged millions to engage in selfless service for others, to uplift communities while realizing one’s greatness.

“MLK’s powerful vision and courageous leadership changed our nation forever,” she added. “Dr. King’s life was cut far too short when he was assassinated for his beliefs—and have a deep responsibility to keep the leader’s legacy alive by confronting bigotry and hate with powerful and peaceful advocacy.”

New York City Council Member Farah N. Louis, the daughter of Haitian and Bahamian immigrants, said: “Nearly 60 years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stood before the nation and shared his dream of equality, freedom and justice—a vision of a world where every child, regardless of race, could walk hand in hand in dignity and peace.

“Today, we honor his legacy with both hope and heavy hearts, recognizing how far we still have to go to make his dream a reality,” said the representative for the 45th Council District in Brooklyn.

“Today, as a new administration takes the helm of our nation, fear and uncertainty weigh heavily on those who value civil and human rights,” she added. “The agenda of this leadership threatens to dismantle protections that safeguard equality, and its indifference to justice enables the insidious spread of white supremacy.

“The challenges before us stand in stark contrast to the world Dr. King envisioned—a future where love triumphs over hate, and inclusion supersedes division,” Louis continued. “But Dr. King taught us that fear cannot defeat us. In the face of unimaginable adversity, he remained steadfast in his belief that change was both possible and necessary.

“Today, we must recommit to fulfilling his dream through action, advocacy and courage,” she said. “We must fight to preserve the progress we have made and push forward, ensuring that every voice is heard, every life is valued, and every community is uplifted.”

Louis also said that Dr. King believed in the power of community and service.

“Now, more than ever, we must recommit ourselves to his mandate: to lead with integrity, to stand firm against injustice, and to lift those who are marginalized or silenced,” she said. “Whether through mentoring, volunteering, or engaging in local advocacy, there is work for all of us to do.

“Together, we can ensure that his dream lives on and that this moment in history becomes a stepping stone, not a setback, in our pursuit of equality and fairness for all,” added Louis, ending with Dr. King’s words: “’We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.’”

In her very short remarks to constituents, Sen. Roxanne J. Persaud, the Guyanese-born representative for the 19th Senate District in Brooklyn, said: “Dr. King taught us that kindness and perseverance can light the path to equality. May his spirit guide us today and always.”

In the Bronx, Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson, whose father hails from Trinidad and Tobago, joined on Monday Senior Pastor of Trinity Baptist Church the Rev. Dr. Naomi Tyler Lloyd, and other leaders to host a community interfaith celebration that paid tribute to “the legacy of the late civil rights leader who, through non-violent activism, helped spearhead several groundbreaking changes to federal and state laws in the United States.”

With this year’s theme, “Mission Possible: Protecting Freedom, Justice, and Democracy in the Spirit of Nonviolence365,” Gibson said she shared “reflections on how King Jr.’s vision continues to shape our nation, our city and borough.”

Assemblymember Monique Chandler-Waterman, the daughter of Barbadian and Jamaican immigrants, who represents the 58th Assembly District in Brooklyn, said on Monday that she had attended the Annual New York Martin Luther King Day Celebration and Public Policy Forum at the House of Justice Headquarters, hosted by the Rev. Al Sharpton, founder and president of the National Action Network.

“Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. reminded us that ‘injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,’” Chandler-Waterman said. “As we embark on this legislative session, we are motivated to confront systemic injustices and champion accountability and reform at every level.

“It takes a united community effort to create meaningful change and work toward the peaceful, equitable world that Dr. King envisioned,” she added. “Together, we will fight for justice, human dignity and equality for all.”