Martin Luther King Day Commemoration March on January 21

Poster for Justice for JosiahPress release from Justice for Josiah, Centro del Pueblo, Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peoples, and the Eureka NAACP:

Communities of color in Humboldt County take the lead on Martin Luther King Day Commemoration by calling for a justice march on January 21 to highlight local issues of racism and injustice.

On January 21, 2019, at 10am, at the Humboldt County Courthouse, hundreds of Humboldt residents are expected to participate in The Peoples Rally & March for Justice to remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and remind the community that racism and other injustices still exist in our County. The organizers give special thanks to the Wiyot Tribal Council for their support of this event, which will take place on Wiyot ancestral land.

“Local law enforcement allowed my son to bleed to death after being stabbed 20 months ago, and the County District Attorney has still not prioritized our case for prosecution, because, I believe, Josiah was Black,” states Charmaine Lawson, mother of murdered HSU student Josiah Lawson.

Humboldt County recently expressed support for marginalized communities by voting in support of the County Sanctuary Law and the ballot initiative removing the McKinley statue in Arcata. This march is a continuation of that struggle for equity and inclusivity.

According to the march organizers, which include Justice for Josiah, Centro del Pueblo, Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peoples and the Eureka NAACP, all are welcome and encouraged to attend the march, which will begin with speakers of various communities and end at the Adorni Center for the NAACP’s yearly MLK Commemoration at noon.

States Charmaine Lawson: “The best way for us to honor Dr. King and his legacy is to have the courage to come together, build coalitions, and work towards the tenets of the Poor Peoples Campaign. People of color, Indigenous Peoples, Immigrants, Women, LGBTQ, religious minorities and other oppressed communities in Humboldt County deserve to flourish and live in peace.”

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Ullr Rover
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Ullr Rover
5 years ago

“I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”
-MLK

Willie Caso-Mayhem
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Ullr Rover

Thank you for reminding us of a great statement.

shak
Guest
shak
5 years ago

I second this!

Steve Parr
Guest
Steve Parr
5 years ago

She “believes” Josiah was black?

When she decides, maybe she should have a talk with those women over at the Women’s March. They’ll set her straight on that racialized language.

Deanna Beeler
Guest
Deanna Beeler
5 years ago
Reply to  Steve Parr

C’mon! I’m as offensive a grammar cop as anybody, and even I am willing to keep my mouth shut about this error! The woman’s son was killed! Cut her some slack!

CLAUDIA Johnson
Guest
CLAUDIA Johnson
5 years ago

Why do we not just March for everyone who’s been killed by violence forget the color just people when you divide people like that you make everything much worse

Joe Dirt
Guest
Joe Dirt
5 years ago

Occupy peace my friends
the entire world should have this dream
from one man to many it is the new trend Unity
In this age of Technology
we can see the trials and tribulations especially in our governments
around the world most have been infiltrated by industrial Pirates
they made it very hard on
we the people
Occupy peace and share it with a friend

I have been putting together some words every year for Martin Luther King’s Jr. birthday the importance of his speeches still move the world

Sheesh
Guest
5 years ago

All races of human beings, non human terrestrials, and non terrestrials alike must live together in harmony. Put an end to tribalism.
Haile Seassie made the speech to the UN assembly.
Bob Marley popularized it.
-Excerpt-
“Until the philosophy which holds one race superior and the others inferior
It is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned.
War
Until there’s no longer first class and second class citizens of any nation.
War
Until the color of a man’s skin is of no more significance than the color of his eyes.
War”

Kathy
Guest
Kathy
5 years ago

I am sad that the invite to the MLK Day event is so generally off putting. It may not be well attended but I think that is part of the game. To be rash and rude and then be able to play the victim which then propels the platform for more rashes and rudeness because, Look! we are right! and so the circle goes.
These people are not the voice of our community. We had a very successful march when the language of the invite was different: “A unified Humboldt is an issue that Chief Andy Mills of the Eureka Police Department and Liz Smith, President of the Eureka Branch of the NAACP, are both passionate about. Building off of the painful lessons and energy from all communities, EPD and the NAACP desire to foster better interaction and engagement with communities of color, by standing shoulder to shoulder at a time when many feel estranged from their fellow countrymen and those who serve them. Often people of color feel marginalized, singled out and discriminated against. We seek to heal community fractures as we stand together.”

Mike
Guest
Mike
5 years ago

I wonder if they are going to have to cancel this march for being to “white” also.

Farce
Guest
Farce
5 years ago

It’s sad that MLK is being used by this group. He was a great and courageous man. Oops- a man! Well then he is oppressive too!! This group has gone off the rails and into the gulch. But they are very welcome into my circles of friends as soon as they want to stop being victims and work with all of us. Ain’t no time to hate Barely time to wait…

Sheesh
Guest
5 years ago

This advert is totally racist!
These groups are racist, anti white people.
With the support of self loathing white people.
What a sad state we find ourselves in.

festus haggins
Guest
festus haggins
5 years ago

Charmaine Lawson, it was a sad thing that happened to your child, But I don’t believe for one second that it was the law enforcement that let your son bleed out, it was his buddys that were there with him that let him bleed out.And I also don’t think that the law enforcement officers stuck a knife in him.

Farce
Guest
Farce
5 years ago
Reply to  festus haggins

Well said. It was a sad and tragic event. But really- the sheriff doesn’t prioritize any white peoples’ murders either. This was Arcata PD and they just aren’t good at this stuff. Since RACE keeps getting pointed out let me point out that this murder happened when FIVE black students jumped ONE white guy and began beating him down. Not cool…no matter what anyone’s skin color was. I believe the mother’s legitimate grief is being manipulated by race-baiters and dividers. I hope the killer is found and justice is served.

M T
Guest
M T
5 years ago

Hey, I am for “Justice for all” and yes, I will take the day off with pay this year thanks to it being added to our time off with pay calendar!!!!! Yahooooo!!! 😉
P.S. and I “March for Nobody” I can make myself heard in a more civil manner, Just Sayin!!

Gen4woman
Guest
5 years ago

I would like to point out to these organizers who cancelled the original women’s march for being “too white” and referencing “white supremacy” that two caucasian women and one child were murdered in our community of Willits in the last two weeks by abusive ex male partners. How did their supposed “white supremacy” protect them?

Pike Mortar
Guest
Pike Mortar
5 years ago

“Local law enforcement allowed my son to bleed to death after being stabbed 20 months ago, and the County District Attorney has still not prioritized our case for prosecution, because, I believe, Josiah was Black,” states Charmaine Lawson, mother of murdered HSU student Josiah Lawson.

Fucking please. Sorry your kid is dead. Because he’s black doesn’t automatically make his murder a racist crime and it doesn’t make all Humboldt racist. The only thing gained by crying racism is pissing people off and alienating more and more folks.

tax payer
Guest
tax payer
5 years ago

they didnt find or prosecute those responsible for beating Kyle Zoellner almost to death, it must be because he is white. and they hauled him to jail (while he was bloody and bruised) and tried to prosecute him for murder saying he wouldnt do time because they were going to call it self defense (glad he didnt buckle and stood for the truth). Justice for Kyle