COVINGTON, Ky. — The Saturday before Martin Luther King Jr. Day is one for conversation at Church of Our Savior in Covington. Sister Janet Bucher said the Martin Luther King, Jr. Discussion Breakfast is a yearly thing and she's been doing it for about two decades.
“The point originally was to bring people of different cultures together,” Bucher said.
That conversation has changed over time.
“Moving from just getting to know other people of other cultures to getting a deeper understanding of the racism and the white supremacy,” she said.
Bucher was joined by community members and speakers knowledgeable about civil human rights challenges. Race, history, white supremacy and more were touched on during the event. Among the panelists was John C.K. Fisher. He’s a field supervisor with the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights. He said it is important to reflect on the past and look ahead to what needs to be done.
“We have to acknowledge the improvements that have happened in civil human rights, but understand there are still obstacles we must overcome,” he said.
Recent current events showcase some of these obstacles. Fisher said immigration is part of the discussion of things to look into more, for example creating a system to help get them a job somewhere in the country that matches their skillset.
“We do know we need new workers. So there are ways to deal with these things if we have the will and the skill to do them,” he said.
He also touched on policing issues. He said words we choose are very important.
“If we stopped using the word police officer, and instead substituted the word public safety officers, then we can change the frame of mind on what it is that they’re supposed to do,” Fisher said.
Women’s rights are also another topic of discussion nationwide after Roe V. Wade was overturned this last summer. An abortion bill, Amendment 2, even made its way on to the ballot for Kentuckians to vote on in November.
“I can’t think of another thing that’s more invasive than telling a woman what she can do with her own body and the medical procedures she must undergo,” Fisher said.
That’s just one of the reasons why something like this discussion breakfast is important to hold each year. Bucher said she sees a lot of the same people each year, but she also wants to see some newcomers come and be part of the discussion. But she knows she’s helping keep the dream alive, even decades later.