Service to social justice: How N.J. spent MLK Day

People across the Garden State spent Monday finding different ways to commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. While some took the suggestion to turn the day off into a day of service, others, invoking the spirit of the late civil rights leader, took to the streets to fight for various causes.

“While we observe what would have been his 89th birthday, this year also marks the 50th year since he was assassinated,” said Larry Hamm, a community organizer in Newark who led a holiday rally in King’s memory in the city Monday.

“We honor him when we fight for peace.”

Below, see just a sampling of how New Jerseyans commemorated King Monday.

Nursing home workers at Delaire Gardens in Linden spent eight hours Monday protesting. According to the workers and their union, their health premium's have not been paid and their sick time has been cut in half since AristaCare Health services bought the company in July 2017.

A spokesman for the company declined to comment Monday on the ongoing feud with the facility's workers.

"Quality care is not in that building because if it was we wouldn't be out here," said Darlen Brown, who has worked at the facility as a certified nursing assistant for 25 years. "What a day to have to fight for justice."

State Senator Joe Cryan came out to support the workers, along with Linden Mayor Derek Armstead. Nearly all the facility's 140 workers took shifts protesting outside the facility.

The crew planned to be back to work Tuesday, though, nursing assistant Thea Paul said.

"We don't want to be out here. Our residents, we love them. But, we can't take care of them if we can't take care of ourselves." 

The People's Organization For Progress (POP) held a march in King's name that the community group said was against inequality, racism, sexism, and fascism.

"We can honor Dr. King by pushing racial equality and justice back into the forefront of the nation's agenda," said Hamm, the group's leader.