Today, U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) issued the following statement honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.:
“Today, we honor one of our country’s most noble leaders, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. His courage, wisdom and inner strength gave hope to all Americans that they could dream of a future where one day the words, ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal,’ would ring true and that everyone could realize the American dream.
“Dr. King lived his life in pursuit of equality and justice for all, and his legacy in the civil rights movement is best remembered by how much we accomplished as a result of non-violent protest.
“In our lifetime, we must continue Dr. King’s work and not forget that he also focused on economic justice. This is the challenge we face today.
“While we strive every day to live up to Dr. King’s ideals, we use today to remember him as a nation. Some of us will be honoring Dr. King through community service, others by teaching our children about him, and, for the first time on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, we can visit his memorial in Washington, D.C. – the first African-American so honored on the National Mall.”
To honor Dr. King’s legacy, Congresswoman Wilson will be attending the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project's 19th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Unity Scholarship Breakfast. Inspired by the memory of Dr. King, the breakfast provides the community with a meaningful way of raising scholarship funds for deserving young boys. The proceeds from the breakfast have resulted in more than $10 million in scholarship being awarded to date.
“Each year, the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project has held this important event to not only honor Dr. King's work and legacy, but also to ensure that our next generation of leaders is taught about his life, struggles, sacrifices, and accomplishments. As the founder of the Role Models project, I am very proud that this tradition continues,” said Rep. Wilson.
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Rep. Frederica S. Wilson is a first-term Congresswoman representing the 17th District of Florida, including Northern Miami-Dade and Southeast Broward Counties. She is a former state legislator and school principal and the founder of the 5000 Role Models for Excellence Project, a mentoring program for young males at risk of dropping out of school.
