Imagine a city where the rhythms of salsa dance alongside the melodies of Polish folk songs, where the aroma of jerk chicken mingles with the savory scent of pierogi. This is not a utopia, but Cambridge – a living testament to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream, where joy is woven from the threads of countless cultures.
It was MLK Jr. who said, “People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they have not communicated with each other.” But what if the antidote to fear is love?
Love requires vulnerability. It requires us to open our hearts and share parts of ourselves. It is in the sharing of ourselves that we become bound together as threads of humanity. Love is the thread that weaves us together in unity. We are reminded constantly of how intrinsic love is to our city’s values as we sit in coffee shops and witness friends laughing over a cup of tea, watch children play together at local parks or see our elders catch up while taking a stroll by the Senior Center on Massachusetts Avenue.
MLK Jr. once had a dream: “That my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” What a time to be alive, we’re living his dream! We’re moving closer to a time when people are no longer judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. It’s been a long time coming, but we’re finally seeing the day when the majority of us agree there’s only one race – the human race. Life’s too short for us to be divided by social constructs designed to keep us apart. We know it, and our children do too.
It was MLK Jr.’s daughter, Bernice King, who said, “I don’t want to be people of color. Erasure of culture and identity is not love.” Our celebration of humanity, grounded in love, is our greatest strength. As a city, Cambridge embodies MLK Jr.’s words well. Cambridge is a city that values love and unity, as shown in our celebrations of humanity: We have so many events demonstrating our commitment, from the annual Polish American Festival, Caribbean Festival, Cambridge Multicultural Festival and Annual Italian Feast of Saints Cosmas and Damian to the Juneteenth Parade. Each celebration showcases the unique heritage and contributions of different communities.
Cambridge is a city welcoming to all walks of life, cultivating a sense of belonging and unity among all ethnic groups. We should be proud that our city has not only an Immigration Commission but also an American Freedmen Commission, upholding MLK Jr.’s dream where the descendants of U.S. chattel slavery are acknowledged not by the color of their skin but by their humanity. The presence of our American Freedmen community in Cambridge is a particularly significant reminder of the city’s connection to the legacy of slavery and the Civil Rights Movement. These civil rights have allowed Cambridge to become the city it is today, one where love is the fabric weaving our communities together.
We hope this holiday season you celebrate the joy of all our communities in Cambridge from our American Freedmen to our Caribbean, Ethiopian, Indian, Filipino, Mexican, Nigerian, Puerto Rican, Polish, Irish, Italian and many more!
Let us hold tight to amplifying joy and continue to celebrate the diversity that makes our city unique. And make a joyful noise while doing so. Also, as we celebrate this season, let us reflect on how we can continue to embody King’s dream not just through our festivals and commissions, but in our daily lives. How will you weave your thread into the fabric of our shared humanity?
Sukia Akiba and Saskia VannJames
A stronger
Please consider making a financial contribution to maintain, expand and improve Cambridge Day.
We are now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and all donations are tax deductible.
Please consider a recurring contribution.