The BDN Opinion section operates independently and does not set news policies or contribute to reporting or editing articles elsewhere in the newspaper or on bangordailynews.com.
The Bangor Daily News opinion staff is looking to engage new contributors for a project around Martin Luther King Jr. Day. We’d like to turn the entire opinion section over to voices of color. That means the editorial, columns and letters to the editor would all come from people with lived experience reflecting on elements of Martin Luther King’s legacy and the continued work toward equality across society.
Our goal is to elevate diverse voices across Maine and center their perspectives for our readers. We don’t want to dictate what people choose to write about. There are no required prompts or specific topics for this project. But just in case writers are looking for somewhere to start, here are some ideas that opinion staff have been thinking about:
The King Center’s theme for MLK Day 2024 is, “It starts with me: Shifting the cultural climate through the study and practice of Kingian nonviolence.” So what does Kingian nonviolence mean to you? What are some ways that we can and should shift our cultural climate? Last year, we at the Bangor Daily News editorial board were criticized for publishing an abridged version of King’s “I Have a Dream” Speech, which left out some of his strong critiques of various aspects of American society — like the pervasiveness of discrimination, police brutality and economic inequality. In what ways do those critiques still ring true today, and continue to require action?
The presence of white supremacist groups in Maine, particularly a training facility in Springfield, have made headlines repeatedly this year. How does the presence of groups like this impact you, and how would you like your white fellow Mainers to respond in order to best support you? What policies and actions can Maine take to better support Mainers of color?
Again, these are just a few thoughts, and not required starting points for this project. Opinion staff can work with contributors if they have questions about the direction they’d like to take. Columns are typically around 650 words and letters around 250 words.
We hope that this project can help build ongoing relationships and collaboration, should the authors like to continue to contribute pieces on other topics moving forward.
Anyone interested in being part of this project can reach out to Deputy Opinion Editor Matt Junker at [email protected]. Any contributed pieces for this project should please be submitted by Wednesday, Jan. 10.