Making Dr. King’s dream a reality, 60 years later

The Buffalo News published an opinion piece by Keith A. Alford, dean of the UB School of Social Work, commemorating the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Alford discusses the strides our nation has made toward racial equality since 1963, while also emphasizing the ways in which King’s dream remains unfulfilled today.

“Unconscious bias remains embedded in structures and systems that keep Black Americans from experiencing, as Dr. King said, ‘the riches of freedom and the security of justice,’” Alford writes.

“The Tops massacre on May 14, 2022, heinously showed that racism is alive — but together we can ensure it will not thrive," he continues. "I approach the momentous anniversary of Dr. King’s speech from a strengths perspective to consider how we can build upon our progress as a nation and continue marching toward and advocating for racial and social justice.”