Leonard’s MLK Speech: “”It must not just be about black people, it must be about poor people, too.”

350 people marched through downtown Portland this afternoon in Sisters of The Road’s annual MLK march, including City Commissioner Amanda Fritz, who acted once again in her capacity as peace keeper.

Then there were speeches at St.Mary’s Academy.

“Our temptation, with the inauguration of the first president of African American descent, is to think that our work here is done,” said Sisters’ director of systemic change, Varner Seaman, who paid tribute to “a radical Doctor King.”

Art Rios, who works at Sisters, related the story of how he was found in a dumpster, by a cop, next to Voodoo Doughnuts. Working at Sisters, he feels he’s “able to combine [his] street smarts with new skills,” and called for council to “repeal the sit/lie ordinance” (clapped by both Fritz and City Commissioner Randy Leonard) “and the anti-camping law.”

Introducing Leonard, Seaman said “in the past, Commissioner Leonard has been a great ally to Sisters of the Road, and when he began opposing the sit/lie, he even said I’m out here opposing it, when are you guys gonna get out here and oppose it, too?”

Leonard said Dr.King’s legacy was not just about racial equality, but poor people’s equality, too.

“It must not just be about black people, it must be about poor people, too,” Leonard quoted King as saying.

Leonard pointed out that shortly before he died, King was working on a poor people’s march on Washington, planned for May 12th 1968, to demand an economic bill of rights for poor people, including $30bn of anti-poverty spending, a commitment to full employment, and low income housing.

“Tragically, he was assassinated before the march could take place,” Leonard said. “And many believe, including me, that’s why the poor people’s bill of rights died, along with the body of Martin Luther King.”

Leonard introduced his former legislative colleague in Salem, Jo Ann Bowman, the Executive Director of Oregon Action. Bowman’s speech paid tribute to the youth of this country for believing Barack Obama’s election was possible. Then, Bowman asked the audience to commit to Oregon Action’s campaign to get healthcare for all Oregonians, this year.

Bowman asked audience members to talk with people they know about the need for action on healthcare, and to participate in Oregon Action’s lobby day in Salem on March 18. You can read more at Oregon Action’s website, here.