We re In The Fight For Our Lives : Boston Activists Rally On MLK Day
Darrell Jones, Sean K. Ellis and Monica Cannon Grant, of Violence in Boston, protest outside the Madison Park High School in Roxbury on MLK Day, January 18, 2021
Tori Bedford / GBH News
As Boston and the nation recognized Martin Luther King Jr.âs birthday Monday, activist Monica Cannon Grant urged a crowd of 200 people to do more than post a quote on social media.
âI know everybody felt real good about their post and their quotes this morning,â Cannon-Grant said, standing on a truck bed outside the Madison Park High School in Roxbury. âBut the truth is, society didnât like Martin Luther King, he had a 66 percent disapproval rating. When he died, nobody gave a damn, and they ll do the same thing to all of us activists.â
A special Martin Luther King Jr. Day edition, in which we hear from four Black leaders on how they see Boston today and in the future. Tiziana Dearing is our host.
Monica Cannon-Grant is the founder and CEO of the nonprofit Violence in Boston, which is focused on advocating for marginalized communities. Today, she s leading a rally at Madison Park High School in Roxbury. We spoke with Cannon-Grant about the focus and the message of the holiday and her protest.
State Rep. Liz Miranda, who represents Massachusetts 5th Suffolk District, talks about her journey from community organizer to state politician, and how she has embodied the King legacy in her work.