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Mayor Lori Lightfoot celebrated the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday Friday by promoting conversations about community healing at the city’s 35th annual interfaith celebration.
Lightfoot commended Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, the keynote speaker of the virtual event, for her efforts to bridge racial and economic divides in her city that “set an example” for the country.
Bottoms said the fight for racial justice is a continuous one.
“The murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and so many others serve as reminders that the lynching of Emmett Till is not just the story of our past,” Bottoms said.
Trump has refused to call Biden as is customary for an outgoing president. He plans to skip Biden's inauguration and leave the White House that morning.
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Ahead of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition’s Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration, the organization highlighted the country’s recent social justice achievements and historical fight for civil rights.
Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., founder and president of Rainbow PUSH, and Rev. Dr. Janette C. Wilson, national executive director of PUSH For Excellence, spoke at a Thursday news conference to introduce the theme of Monday’s celebration: “The Journey Continues As We Mold The Future.”
Wilson cited Jackson, who has said Dr. King did not live long enough to witness the fruits of his labor, like the election of African Americans to local and federal offices.