The Long Beach City Council and City Manager have decided to suspend the Long Beach Martin Luther King Center's sole resident for over 40 years, MLK Inc. This grassroots community-based organization has served the most marginalized residents within the City for decades, especially during times of crisis, when the City has abdicated or failed to serve residents of the North Park community. It is unconscionable that they have opted to do this when residents disproportionately affected by a worldwide pandemic need services most! Moreover, the City has made the decision with the expectation that the community would be silent. WE WILL NOT BE SILENT! It was not too long ago that the City changed the locks on the doors of the MLK Center during a pandemic and chained the doors 8 years ago during Sandy when our community needed services the most. The MLK Center Inc. stood with and for the community during those challenging times and for the effective servicing of its needs. We as a community must stand together now and do not accept this decision.
National attention has highlighted the various inequities across our beloved country and our City, caused by systematic oppression, segregation, and racism. These inequities manifest in the lack of opportunities and quality of life, including health disparities, the need for criminal justice reform, the lack of educational attainment opportunities, and resources for our most vulnerable citizens (our youth and our seniors). Grassroots, community-driven efforts are being highlighted as crucial to reducing inequality. Thus, the City Council and the City Manager must take necessary actions to invest in MLK, Inc. and work with its Executive Director, Board of Directors, the MLK community advisory committee, and the residents to continue serving the most vulnerable in our City. The dignity and worth of every resident are critically essential to the overall wellbeing of our City.
The community needs the MLK Center and programming to be in the community's hands. The City of Long Beach should extend the MLK Center for a minimum of 50 years in good faith that the City of LB supports this community's residents. Moreover, the City of Long Beach should commit itself to further developing positive race relations within our community to reconcile its ugly history.
