"In the year since President Donald Trump's second inauguration on MLK Day of 2025, the president has sought to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and directed immigration and law enforcement crackdowns on cities with large Black populations, among other policies that critics see as targeting people of color."
"He served his community, did everything he could to help his people and make sure that everyone was represented equally, said Brett Matthews, a volunteer at a garden center clean-up Monday near Oakland's Lake Merritt. By volunteering and giving our time, we help keep (his message)."
"We can go out and fight oppressive systems, and that is important, but we also need to be feeding into ourselves and feeding our community and like building up joy and hope, because otherwise, what's the point of the whole thing? Azulay said. Just as much as we're working in the garden, the garden is also working on us, Azulay added."
Bay Area communities marked the 40th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr. Day with marches, concerts, volunteer clean-ups and service events across Oakland, San Francisco, Palo Alto and San Jose. Volunteers at the Marsha J. Corprew Memorial Lakeside Park Garden Center cleaned near Lake Merritt while invoking King's legacy of service, equality and representation. Concerns arose about national policies perceived as targeting people of color, including rollbacks of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and increased immigration and law enforcement actions. Organizers emphasized combining activism against oppressive systems with nurturing community joy, hope and mutual support.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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