Monday, January 21st marked the 33rd Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. As a proud member of the immigrant and minority communities, I take this day to reflect on his legacy and how his words have influenced how we live our own lives. Dr. King led the charge in our nation to promote diversity, to celebrate it, and to draw strength from it. Without his leadership I may not sit where I do today in the Senate Chamber, or enjoy the freedoms that I do as a citizen of this great State and Nation.

Each year on this day, I like to revisit Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. This year, these three passages stood out to me.

“Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.” In these days of political tribalism and vitriol, I find this particularly poignant. One of my personal goals is to revitalize the respect and deference we all deserve, whether we are discussing politics, social movements, or which team we are rooting for in the Super Bowl this year. This quote reminds me that no matter how much we disagree we must, as King said, “forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline.”

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed – we hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men [and women] are created equal.” Our society is still going through the turmoils of change, and to this day we are fighting to live out this creed. More and more people are being granted access to the rights they are given by our Declaration of Independence, but even today we should keep this goal in mind as we strive to hold onto the progress we have made towards equality.

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character.” One of the most recognizable lines from his speech, I believe this to be the foundation of how we will achieve diversity. When we choose our friends, employees, and elected officials not by what they look like but for how they act and what they believe, we will find ourselves surrounded by those who look different from ourselves because personality does not discriminate.

On this Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service, let us reflect on his words and do our best to live by them.

State Senator Tony Hwang (R-28) released the following statement today regarding the Legislature’s emergency session to vote on Governor Lamont’s proposal to provide interest-free loans to furloughed federal workers in Connecticut.

“I am proud to vote for this proactive and public/private approach to provide some relief to Connecticut residents who are federal workers currently on furlough or are required to work without pay,” said Sen. Hwang. “Many affected workers furloughed during government shutdowns are not eligible for unemployment benefits. Without any sort of income during times like these and faced with rising liabilities, I believe it is our responsibility to provide these constituents of ours with the ability to meet their financial needs.”

“Unfortunately, this situation is a result of deep dysfunction in Washington, D.C. and although the legislature has little influence over the resolution of the federal government shutdown, we can and should do all in our power to help the workers affected. I applaud the Governor and House and Senate Leadership for coming together so quickly on a bipartisan basis to find a solution to the needs of Connecticut workers and families.

“We in Connecticut must address our own challenges, including an anemic economy, overwhelming pension liabilities, diverse needs of urban, suburban, and rural populations, and a significant budget deficit hampering our ability to address those important issues. If this cooperation and proactivity is a sign of what’s to come, I am optimistic about what we can accomplish this legislative session. The numbers have already begun to show that the historic bipartisanship we have enjoyed in the last two sessions works for Connecticut. Let this first legislative action be a sign there is more to come.”

Both houses of the legislature met Tuesday afternoon, passing the emergency measure in the House and Senate. It was immediately signed by Governor Lamont upon being transmitted by the Senate. You can find details on the legislation Here.

State Senator Tony Hwang represents Connecticut’s 28th senate district including the towns of Fairfield, Westport, Weston, Easton, Newtown and Sandy Hook. He serves as Ranking Member of the Public Safety, Higher Education, and Housing Committees, and is a member of the Transportation Committee.

Sen. Tony Hwang with Commission on Women, Children & Seniors Commissioner Steven Hernandez

Today, on Martin Luther King’s Day of Service that is intended to empower individuals, strengthen communities, bridge barriers, create solutions to social problems, and move us closer to Dr. King’s vision of a “Beloved Community.”  State Senator Tony Hwang (R-28) proudly announced that he will be joining the Connecticut Commission on Women, Children and Seniors (CWCS) 2Gen Advisory Council, which was designated by Connecticut Public Act No. 18-19 to be a conduit for selected community and State leaders, advocates, and scholars to develop sustainable solutions to intergenerational poverty through a Two-Generational and breaking down cycles of poverty.

“On this MLK Day of Service, I am incredibly grateful and excited to join the 2Gen Advisory Council. I have always been passionate about ensuring that the State of Connecticut does the best job possible to protect our most vulnerable populations, and the Council seemed like a natural fit,” said Senator Hwang. “Generational poverty is a problem we have been wrestling with for a long time, and I believe that the 2Gen approach will allow us to see the way forward to creating programs and policies that work for the whole family.”

Past approaches to addressing generational poverty have focused on helping children, or helping parents and guardians. The 2Gen approach takes a different route by developing programs and resources for the entire family. This integrated approach harnesses education, economic support, social capital, and health and well-being to create a legacy of economic security that passes from one generation to the next.

“The 2GEN initiative is about coordination and accountability in helping lift families sustainably out of poverty. Our work in 2GEN with our sister states across the nation is an innovation that could help us link families to training and workforce, while ensuring that they don’t fall into success cliffs along the way,” said CWCS Commissioner Steven Hernandez. “A necessary component of this work is ensuring that our agencies of government and their agents on the ground work seamlessly, with minimal barriers in data and resource sharing. This is not a ‘safety net’ strategy; rather a way for policies and practice to break cycles of enduring poverty through coordinated planning that includes the parent as a key stakeholder and decision maker.”

Senator Tony Hwang represents Connecticut’s 28th State Senate District, which includes the towns of Fairfield, Westport, Weston, Easton, Newtown and Sandy Hook