Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

It will be 50 years this April that Dr. King was shot. 

Since then, a lot has changed. People of color are free by letter of the law. 

But they are still being held back in many other ways, subtle, and very overt.

Most people I've been speaking to were shocked to learn that Boston is known as one of the most racist cities in the United States. The Globe published a Spotlight series with extensive research on this subject. 

Boston, Massachusetts? One of the most liberal states in the country? Our capital is more racist than cities that have much smaller percentages of people of color?

Sadly, it's true. 

And it's good to know that there is still a lot of work to be done. Just because we're not living in the South, all is still not well here. 

It's also good to know that we can be the ones doing the work! We can have open and honest conversations about what makes us different, and what makes us the same. We can learn from each other and learn about ourselves. 

And, most importantly, in this day and age: We can come together. 

The Boston Children's Chorus gave their MLK Day Concert at Symphony Hall last night. Hundreds of kids from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds were singing together about Dr. King's Dream. It was powerful, moving, and inspiring. 

At the end, a room full of people (around 2,700 of them) stood together and sang: We shall overcome.

Deep in my heart I do believe, we shall overcome some day.