This weekend, communities across the nation will participate in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service to celebrate and honor Dr. King’s life and legacy. As the representative of America’s Civil Rights District, where many of the pivotal events of the movement occurred, I take seriously my responsibility to not only to advocate on behalf of those living in Alabama’s 7th Congressional District, but to also protect and further the legacy of the freedom fighters like Dr. King and so many others, known and unknown.

It is in this spirit, remembering the hard-fought victories of those who have come before me, the everyday heroes and sheroes of the civil rights movement, that I announced that Joe Biden is my choice for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States. Not only does Joe have a long, proven record in both protecting and furthering Dr. King’s quest for justice and equality, but he is the best candidate to take on Donald Trump, who is the biggest threat today to Dr. King’s legacy!

At every turn, President Trump and his administration have worked to advance policies contrary to the issues central to Dr. King’s life: equality and justice. They have worked to strip millions of Americans of their health insurance protections, supported efforts to make it more difficult to vote, torn families apart, expanded partnerships with private prisons, proposed trillions in cuts to Medicare and Medicaid, cut food assistance for hungry families and rolled back key civil rights protections.

Dr. King once said, “A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus, but a molder of consensus.” Throughout his many years of service to our country in both the Senate and as Vice President in the Obama Administration, Joe has actively worked with Americans from distinct communities, creating consensus where there seemingly was none. And over and over, he has proven his commitment to the issues that I know we hold dear in Alabama.

Joe has consistently been a champion of voting rights. During the 1982 reauthorization, he lead the charge in the Senate to pass the renewal of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that Dr. King and so many others in Alabama marched, bled and even gave their lives for. His commitment to voting rights has not wavered, and he has promised to make voter protections a central foundation of his administration. I am also confident that he will make a top priority the passage of legislation to restore the Voting Rights Act to its full strength and stop the most egregious voter suppression tactics before they can go into effect.

As a Senator, Joe supported the Equal Rights Amendment and the Civil Rights Act of 1990 to protect against employment discrimination. He was the architect of the Violence Against Women Act, which contributed to a dramatic decrease in the rate of domestic violence across the country. That record, coupled with the passage of the Affordable Care Act and the Lilly Ledbetter Equal Pay Act during his vice presidency, shows Joe’s long-standing commitment to ensuring all Americans, regardless of where they come from, have an equal chance to make their dreams a reality.

In this moment in our nation’s history, once again, our nation finds itself at a precipice. We, as a country, must unite behind a presidential candidate whose commitment to civil rights, equal opportunity and prosperity for every American is clear. We must reject the hatred and bigotry, and abuses of power emanating from our current President and restore integrity and decency to the office.

I have always worked in Congress to help ensure that our nation strives toward creating the “beloved community” that Dr. King envisioned. With Vice President Biden at the helm, I know we can build an America where that vision is a reality and every American truly has a chance for a brighter future.

On Super Tuesday, this March 3, 2020, I will proudly cast my ballot for Vice President Joe Biden. I hope you will, too.

Sewell is in her fifth term representing Alabama’s 7th Congressional District.