This time of year tends to be especially poignant for Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. Not only does the president and founder of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition use the opportunity to share and celebrate the legacy of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., it’s also the time when he reflects upon how King’s dream is being realized. In 2021, the inspiration of King’s hope for access and opportunity regardless of race is evidenced with the election and confirmation of President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris as well as Georgia Senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, who were all sworn into office today. Both the symbolism and the realities are not lost on Jackson.
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“Joe is inheriting a deep hole because when Barrack came in, thousands of jobs had been lost that month, then they reorganized and there were new jobs every month for eight years. I think Joe is the perfect fit for the task,” said Jackson during a recent zoom press conference. “Number one, you won’t have race baiting by Joe; that kind of intentional polarization was brought on by Trump.
Jackson also spoke to the essence of hope that Biden mentioned in his inauguration speech. Having the country’s first woman, first Black woman, first South Asain American woman are all possibilities that King once envisioned. Despite the political, racial, and economic divisions in the country, King believes a Biden/Harris administration is poised to address and overcome.
“I’m hopeful in the leadership now and the cabinet members are just excellent, diverse and very well qualified. And of course, Kamala Harris, she is something special to me,” said Jackson who noted that Harris was a volunteer on his campaign.
“When I ran, in 1984, they said a Black president was a joke. Then in ’08 when Barack [Obama] did win, we had to knock a lot of bushes down and take it on to the end zone, and to see Kamala Harris now just makes my heart rejoice. She will do well for the nation.”
