In the words of the late, great Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.:

"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 are created equal.' . . . I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."

Almost 50 years later, Dr. King's dream is a reality. This MLK Day, more than any other before, people of all ages and backgrounds are coming together with the common goal of improving lives, bridging social barriers, and moving our nation closer to the "beloved community" Dr. King envisioned.

With the inauguration of President-elect Barrack Obama taking place the following day, Dr. King's dream is no doubt a reality. And we are very fortunate to be witnessing this great historic moment in our nation, which began last November when our country elected its first African-American President.

I was moved by President-Elect Obama's victory speech last fall.  I certainly identified with many of the issues he discussed.  Both of us "were never the likeliest candidate(s)" for our respective offices; "we didn't start with much money"; and "we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime."

In the words of our next President, "what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow."

May you have a memorable and happy Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Mayor Carlos Alvarez