Celebrating the "Beloved community" & reconciliation on MLK Day

Written by Dara Marquez, Director of Community Engagement for La Casa de Amistad in South Bend, Indiana

At the age of fifteen I was introduced to the term “Beloved Community,” as Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) described it. At the time, residents of South Central Elkhart, the neighborhood in which I grew up in, were taking a stand against a project to demolish what is now known as the Historic Roosevelt Center. The preservation of the building would bring about affordable housing for low-income families, maintain the integrity of its location at the heart of the neighborhood, and bring forth new community spaces for fellowship and engagement. I come from a family line of community advocates and organizers, so naturally my uncle and dad jumped into the community efforts to stop the center’s demolition that was a few blocks from our home. At the time I asked, "What is so important about this building?" I remember my dad’s response being the first time he encouraged my intuition and critical thinking. He told me, “It is not about the building, but more about what it will transform if we come together and win! All we have to do is care.” I realize that I haven’t stopped caring since then. 

The “Beloved Community” as I have learned from it over the years, is a group of people that cares and acts with reconciliation in their hearts to drive change. La Casa de Amistad has become a “Beloved Community” for those that serve through it, or support it every day to drive changes in community practices, service access, and policies. We head into 2024, and our 51st year in existence, with much pride and hope for what we can become with and for our Latino, Hispanic, and immigrant communities. It doesn’t come without its challenges, as we continue to see compromise and barriers against the thousands of lives that we serve every day. With each day, before and after Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, we recommit to the community that stands for the transformation that will ensure a better quality of life for all. A life that does not entertain bigotry or violence against the most vulnerable. 

Thank you for trusting La Casa de Amistad to be the partner and safe space you need to begin or act on transformation. It is our commitment to challenge and reconcile for the betterment of our community, and for the future generations we serve. I wish everyone a reflective and transformative Martin Luther King Jr. Day! Que viva la gente pobre y desposeída! Que vivan los trabajadores inmigrantes! Que viva el futuro sin racismo y pobreza! ​

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