8-year-old on MLK Day: 'Love always can beat hate because hate isn’t really that powerful'

Long lines outside the Los Angeles Coliseum Monday were filled with volunteers of all ages, colors and backgrounds wanting to work on service projects for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

On a level above the field, LA Works offered up a chance to make things to help other people like urban greening kits that have ingredients for starting home gardens. The kits will go to schools across LA.

Others worked on First Aid Kits with an assortment of band-aids and other medical supplies. These, too, will go to area schools.

And, still, others listened to Mayor Karen Bass speak about the mission of Martin Luther King day, "To recommit to his vision. To recommit to his dream. As we continue to move our city forward."

Which begged the question, how far have we come in race relations and how far do we need to go?

The answers were uniformly the same. One volunteer after another saying things like:

"We’ve come far. I think Doctor King would be pleased with our progress."

"We’ve got a very far way to go. As you can see it’s very diverse out here. It’s great and we’re heading in the right direction."

Regardless of who we asked and their background, the answer was always the same. One volunteer said, "I think we’ve gotten the conversation started but it really does start with all of us."

Another stated, "I think we’ve come a long way in our minds but I think in practice we haven’t. I think there’s still a long way to go."

There were other answers, but one from an 8-year-old seemed fitting. When asked, "What do we have to do to make things better?" 8-year-old Matilja Moran said, "I know for a fact that love always can beat hate because hate isn’t really that powerful." To her, love is! 

Los Angeles County