I looked at a message from Bernice King sharing photos of her father, many alongside family members. In a separate post, dedicated to her mother, King honored the late matriarch, noting how there would be no holiday if not for her mother’s work.

Thinking about the legacy of Coretta Scott King helped me reconsider how my own energy would be better served working within my community to create change and better opportunities for people whose values align with my own. Reflecting on the Kings’ legacy also was a powerful reminder that African-Americans have faced adversity and unjust leadership throughout history. The policies of the current far-right leadership echo the unjust governance of the past.

Thinking about where today stands in history, the America we live in seems so far from King’s dream. On a day when we should be acting in the spirit of King, who devoted his life to equal rights, Donald Trump, a vile, greedy, power-hungry rapist becomes America’s 47th President.