More work needed to better society, MLK rally speakers say
More work needed to better society, MLK rally speakers say
By Hannah Black
Wyoming Tribune Eagle
Via Wyoming News Exchange
CHEYENNE — There is still more work to do when it comes to preserving voting rights and bettering our society, speakers said Monday as they rallied at the steps of the Wyoming State Capitol.
Several dozen community members gathered to recognize the birthday of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., an advocate for nonviolent activism against racial discrimination during the Civil Rights Movement. King was assassinated in 1968 at the age of 39.
The march and rally have historically been planned and held by the Love & Charity Club, which was formed in 1977 by a group of military wives looking to contribute to the Cheyenne community. The club is currently inactive, with membership having dwindled to just two members in recent years.
There was no march from the Cheyenne Depot on Monday, with organizers citing COVID-19 concerns. Even so, former members and others still got together to put on the rally at the Capitol, as they have since their first Martin Luther King Jr. Day event in 1982.
The Love & Charity Club worked alongside state Sen. Liz Byrd in her fight to have the holiday recognized and celebrated in Wyoming, said Rita Watson, a longtime employee of the Wyoming Department of Education and an active member of several local organizations.
Byrd was the first Black woman to serve in the Wyoming House of Representatives, and, a few years later, the first Black person to serve in the Wyoming Senate. The primary sponsor of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday bill, Byrd brought it before the Wyoming Legislature nine times, according to the Wyoming State Historical Society.
The bill was finally passed by Wyoming lawmakers in 1990 – with the stipulation that it be called "Martin Luther King Jr./Wyoming Equality Day."
Speaking at the rally, Watson said passing the federal John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act is vital to preserving democracy in the U.S. The bill would restore parts of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 struck down by the Supreme Court in 2013 – mainly, that certain states must pre-clear certain changes to voting laws with the federal government.
The bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives in August, but it failed to pass the Senate in November.
"Our struggle right now to pass those two voting rights bills in the Senate is the struggle for a lifetime, for our democracy. Voting is the most fundamental right we have as Americans, and everyone in this country deserves to be heard and have their votes counted," Watson said. "We are fortunate in Cheyenne that we don't experience much voter suppression problems, but Dr. King reminds us that 'Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.’
"We got the holiday – even though it's hyphenated with Equality Day – but we're still fighting for the same things we were fighting for in 1982 when we started marching," she continued. "This holiday is a day on, not a day off. It is time for action."
The keynote speaker of the rally, JaQuale Brooks-Richardson, highlighted the work of Black women in breaking barriers for others like them, including Althea Gibson, the first Black person to win a Grand Slam title in tennis; Ella Fitzgerald, a jazz singer who won 14 Grammy Awards; and Katherine Johnson, a NASA mathematician whose work helped launch manned spaceflight in the U.S.
The central message of Brooks-Richardson's address was having the strength to not back down from the challenges life throws your way.
"For all the examples I just named, I'm sure the sacrifices, the trials and tribulations and heartache were uncomfortable. But take a lesson from them and don't allow your comfort to keep you from your purpose," she said.
Brooks-Richardson also spoke about adapting to and overcoming adversity in her education. She graduated from the University of Wyoming in 2008 with a degree in criminal justice, and went on to become a probation and parole officer in Wyoming and Colorado.
"Don't forget that you have a purpose to fulfill, and it isn't dictated by how others value you," she said. "And when the battle chooses you, let it, and give it all that you have. And then be sure to tell the story, because that's how others learn that it's possible and they are not alone.
"We are all here on the backs of other women and men who fought their battles, fulfilled their purpose and told the right story to themselves and others so we know that we could and would prevail. Keep pushing, keep fighting. Tell your story.”
This story was published on Jan. 17.