New Orleans, LA – Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) will host a Martin Luther King Day Virtual Rally this Monday, January 18. In support of a call from the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, New Orleans FRSO demands a mass release from prisons during the deadly COVID-19 pandemic. The rally will also demand justice for Jacob Blake and an end to police crimes everywhere. The gathering will take place over Zoom, as the city recently transitioned to stricter COVID safety measures.

After a long holiday season, this will be an opportunity for the community to regroup. “I’m just excited to get things going again,” says Antonia Mar, who will read excerpts from MLK’s Letter from Birmingham Jail. “This winter has been isolating, but Zoom events at least give us a chance to see some familiar faces, talk, and strategize about what’s going on!”

Even during COVID challenges, the people continue to be creative and resourceful with what resources we have. The MLK Day Virtual Rally aims to relate the struggle of the Civil Rights movement with the political energy of today. History is vital to the fight against racism and police repression. Speakers will reflect on resistance to police crimes in the city, including the work of college students fighting police presence on school campuses. Other topics will include the history of the Black liberation movement and calls to action, giving special attention to the words and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King.

As he said in his Letter from Birmingham Jail: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”

Register to participate in the MLK Day Virtual Rally.

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