Lynette Li, GLAD Member, on the Edmund Pettus Bridge

Lynette Li, GLAD Member, on the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, shares her reflections from the Edmund Pettus Bridge

On the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, I found myself at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge. I laid my hands on the hallowed grounds of where the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. knelt and prayed. A part of me connected with the deep cries for justice that continue to linger in faint voices in Selma and across the world. My pilgrimage to Selma was a deeply spiritual experience. While walking the bridge, I couldn’t help but reflect on the rich history held by the place. I thought of the many who responded to Dr. King’s call, risked it all, linked arms and marched. I thought of the many who placed their safety and lives on the frontlines for civil rights. I thought of their deep courage, tenacity, fortitude and determination. One bridge, many stories.

Today, as I write this, the Governor of Indiana, Mike Pence is expected to sign the Freedom of Religion Reformation Act* into law. May the words of John Lewis continue to remind us that, “there is still work left to be done.”

*The Freedom of Religion Reformation Act would give business the right to discriminate against LGBT people and refuse them service.