Like most of you, I’m feeling the heaviness of our national news. The injustice we continue to be reminded of through violent, devastating acts needs to stop. We cannot tolerate a system that ignores equality and deems it acceptable to ignore a human plea for air, for life. On April 4, 2018, on the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s death, I was honored to be asked to speak at Riverside Church in Harlem. The day was focused on MLK Jr.’s fight for civil rights and social justice for minorities and the poor. Today, in lieu of airing our previously planned episode, I am instead sharing that talk I gave at Riverside Church just over two years ago, as an acknowledgment of the targeting of Black lives in our society and the need for systemic change to protect Black health and Black lives. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” We can no longer be silent about this.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.