This holiday honors a legacy of justice and equality, yet it carries a feeling of concern about the direction of our times.
TAMPA, Fla. — Parade-goers lined the streets of East Tampa for the annual Martin Luther King Jr. parade, but it comes at a time when many Black communities are grappling with significant challenges.
“This is MLK Day, but the other 364 days of the year we try to live out his values in our city,” Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said.
This holiday honors a legacy of justice and equality, yet it carries a feeling of concern about the direction of our times. Dr. King advocated for fair housing for all, which is something the Tampa Housing Authority CEO Jerome Ryans said many here are still fighting for.
“We’re tearing down Robles Parks. We’re going to bring back twice as many affordable housing units. We’re able to make a difference in this community. In my opinion, we’ve scratched the surface, but we’re not where we need to be,” Ryans said.
In a time of rapid change, many say it is essential that we do not lose sight of equality. Many minority communities worry their voices could be taken away as Florida undergoes redrawing of district lines.
“Our population has changed so much in the last four or five years, we need to get apportioned properly, and people deserve equal representation,” Fla. Gov. Ron DeSantis said.
“You have Republican led states like Florida engaging in mid-decade redistricting. We’ve never seen anything like this before. It’s a clearly partisan and political powerplay basically, and I’m concerned that it could diminish Hispanic and Black representation in Congress throughout the State of Florida,” Florida House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell said.