Dear Friends,  America has never fully achieved its promise of freedom and justice for all. But the proudest moments in our history are the times that people from all walks of life come together to make us a more perfect union. It’s hard to think of a better example of this than the late, great Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who would have turned 94-years-old yesterday. Dr. King risked his life in the face of violence and terror of the Jim Crow South in the pursuit of civil rights for Black, Brown, Indigenous and marginalized communities. It is because of his work, which inspired a movement, that Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965.   I am committed to honoring Dr. King's legacy by unequivocally standing up against efforts to undercut the Voting Rights Act and roll back our civil liberties. It is important that we also lift up historically marginalized people. There is much to share about the resilience and accomplishments of Oregon’s Black communities. Last year I successfully urged the Biden-Harris Administration to add three important Black history landmarks in our neighborhoods to the National Register of Historic Places. The Mt. Olivet Baptist Church in Northeast Portland was the home of one of Oregon’s oldest Black congregations; Dean’s Beauty Salon and Barber Shop in Northeast Portland is the city’s oldest continuously operating Black-owned business; and the Golden West Hotel in Northwest Portland was the first hotel in the city to accommodate Black patrons. In Congress, my work centers on equity and justice for all. As founder and co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, I am determined to put an end to the failed war on drugs which has devastated the lives of millions of Black Americans. Every policy proposal must be written using the lens of racial justice. This includes my work to create more resilient communities in the face of climate change. It is part of how we promote equitable homeownership and diversity in small business ownership. It includes making our health care system serve all Americans.  My pledge to you is to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy today, and every day, in Oregon and in Congress.