Bernice King reflects on the Fair Housing Act, made law after her father's killing

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Bernice King reflects on the Fair Housing Act, made law after her father's killing

2025-04-11 02:59 Last Updated At：03:01

Bernice King warns decades of work to reduce inequities in housing is at risk, as the Trump administration cuts funding for projects and tries to reduce funding for nonprofits that handle housing discrimination complaints.

“I shudder to think what’s going to happen — there’s still a lot of residential segregation," King, CEO of The King Center and the youngest daughter of civil rights leaders The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, told The Associated Press. "It’s better than it was during my father’s lifetime. But going forward, we may end up right back where we were in the ‘50s and in the ’60s. People will feel very emboldened to discriminate because they know there’s nothing there to to stop it."

In February, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development canceled millions of dollars in grants to nonprofits that handle housing discrimination complaints. A judge temporarily froze the terminations, which HUD said targeted funding awards that included diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, language.

The department will uphold the Fair Housing Act and combat discrimination in housing, a HUD official said, adding that no staffing changes specific to the department have been announced.

King said the attacks on what the administration calls DEI look familiar.

“To me, these are those same old historic, divide-and-conquer tactics to try to keep people fighting with each other and keep people separated and keep a certain hierarchy existing in a society,” she said.

Whenever she can, King said she highlights her father's legacy pressing for economic equality, including speaking Thursday at the Northwest African American Museum in Seattle, near where Habitat for Humanity of Seattle-King & Kittitas Counties is building a new condominium named after him.

The 58-unit apartment block is located on Martin Luther King Jr. Way in King County, which is also named for him. Construction on the site has started and units will eventually be sold to buyers at affordable prices.

Seattle Habitat CEO Brett D’Antonio, said naming the building after King offered a chance to talk about racial equity in housing, part of Habitat for Humanity's efforts to raise awareness about fair housing, including its fundraising campaign Home is the Key, in April in remembrance of the Fair Housing Act's passage.

“There was just no better opportunity to name the building in honor of Dr. King as we look to the work ahead of us in tackling affordable housing needs across the country, but also here in Seattle,” he said.

Bernice King remembers when her father moved their family in 1966 to a third-floor walk-up without heat in Chicago. Martin Luther King Jr. came to Chicago to try to break through discrimination in housing, which left Black residents paying more in rent for worse conditions than white tenants.

Martin Luther King Jr. campaigned in Chicago, speaking to crowds of tens of thousands around the area and leading a march to City Hall to tape their demands on the front door. A week after he was assassinated in 1968, the Fair Housing Act was signed into law, which prohibited discrimination in housing based on race and other characteristics and created mechanisms to resolve complaints.

She said the dream of fair and equitable housing that the law's passage signaled has still not be realized.

“To allow its provisions to be weakened is to betray the commitment and the sacrifices made to realize it,” she said, speaking in Seattle.

Large discrepancies in homeownership between Black, Hispanic and white Americans persist today, though that is just one measure of inequity in housing access. The National Fair Housing Alliance found housing discrimination complaints reached a record 34,000 in 2023, with most involving rentals and over half having to do with discrimination based on disability.

Diane Levy, who researches housing at the Urban Institute, said she was concerned about who will take future fair housing complaints if funding to nonprofits that handle those complaints is significantly diminished.

“If you experience discrimination, if it’s blatant, that takes a toll," she said, adding even unseen discrimination limits where you can live and whether to rent or buy home, which, in turn, limits where you can work or go to school.

Levy also noted the administration ended federal protections against housing discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Bernice King said this moment calls for creativity and perseverance.

“People feel like it’s okay to discriminate — okay to suppress, oppress and deny,” she said. “It just means those of us who are on the side of standing up for what is right and fighting for freedom, justice and equality, having even more work to do.”

Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of AP’s philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy.

Citizens for Judicial Fairness Donates $10,000 to Food Bank of Delaware to Support Statewide Fight Against Food Insecurity

2025-05-02 03:26 Last Updated At：03:31

NEWARK, Del.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 1, 2025--

Citizens for Judicial Fairness (CJF), an advocacy organization committed to promoting transparency and diversity in Delaware’s courts and public leadership, today presented a $10,000 donation to the Food Bank of Delaware to support its ongoing efforts to combat hunger and provide essential services to families in need.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250501791186/en/

The donation underscores CJF’s growing investment in Delaware’s community infrastructure, aligning its mission for judicial and institutional fairness with support for on-the-ground work that fosters resilience and equity.

“In the face of uncertainty brought on by recent federal decisions, I’m incredibly grateful to have community partners like Citizens for Judicial Fairness. Their generous donation to the Food Bank of Delaware helps ensure this vital organization can continue its important work—serving thousands of Delaware families and bringing hope to those who need it most,”said Delaware House Speaker Melissa Minor-Brown.

The event, held at the Food Bank’s Newark facility, brought together elected officials, nonprofit leaders, and community members to celebrate the power of collaboration in advancing equity and access for all Delawareans.

“ At Citizens for Judicial Fairness, our mission is to promote transparency, accountability, and fairness in leadership—especially within our courts and institutions,” said Jackie Griffith, Executive Director of Citizens for Judicial Fairness. “But lasting change requires more than policy reform; it requires strong, resilient communities. That’s why we’re proud to support the Food Bank of Delaware. Their work not only addresses food insecurity, it helps build the kind of civic strength that empowers people to engage, lead, and demand more representative leadership. A more resilient Delaware is the foundation for a fairer Delaware—and we’re honored to be part of that effort.”

The Food Bank of Delaware serves tens of thousands of residents each year, providing nutritious meals and vital support services while advocating for long-term solutions to hunger and poverty. CJF’s donation will help expand these efforts at a time when demand for food assistance remains high across the state.

“We’re grateful to Citizens for Judicial Fairness for this generous gift,” said Chad Robinson, Vice President of External Affairs at the Food Bank of Delaware. “Tackling food insecurity takes a village —all of us can play a role - nonprofits, the public sector, and private partners. Together, we are working towards a Delaware where no person struggles with how to put food on their table and showing the world how good things happen when we work together.”

This contribution is one of several CJF has made to local organizations in recent months as part of its effort to build momentum for a more inclusive, responsive, and transparent system of governance in Delaware. Earlier this year, CJF also donated $10,000 to the Police Athletic League of Wilmington’s D.I.V.A.S. program, which empowers young women through entrepreneurship, leadership development, and mentoring—further demonstrating CJF’s commitment to uplifting grassroots efforts that create real opportunities for Delawareans.