As we celebrated Martin Luther King Day on Monday, despite our challenges as a nation, we felt hopeful for the future.

Seeing where the nation was during King’s time compared to where we are now shows that we’ve made considerable progress for minority rights. There is still a long way to go, and King’s own family has pointed to voting rights as an important issue in the fight for equality going forward.

We think Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen made an important point in her speech Monday in calling out economic injustice specifically.

“Dr. King knew that economic injustice was bound up in the larger injustice he fought against,” Yellen said.

While her speech focused on Americans of color, we’d note that economic injustice cuts across racial and ethnic lines. The poor and middle class of all colors would benefit from a more equitable and just economy.

Rising inequality is part of what is fueling the political division among us and the chaos in government we have seen in recent years. The pandemic has exposed just how important it is to have an economy that works for everyone.

During the pandemic we saw people stay home because they couldn’t afford to pay for child care or go to work sick because they can’t afford to take time off. At the same time, the 10 richest people in the world doubled their wealth, according to a report published Monday by advocacy group Oxfam.

As we move forward through this recovery we need to make sure the economy we’re creating is not rigged against upward mobility for anyone. An environment dedicated to creating genuine opportunity would offer a better future for everyone of all races in this country.

Grand Junction Daily Sentinel editorial board