Transcript: It’s not lost on me this evening that as we commemorate Black History month that I would not be in the position I’m in today if it weren’t for the sacrifices of so many that came before me who took part in the struggle for racial and social justice in this country, especially during the civil rights movement. Sacrifices that made it possible for my parents to take an extraordinary leap of faith, nearly 45 years ago, to leave a country and everything that they new to come to a country for the promise of an American Dream and better opportunities, opportunities that would not have been possible for them if it wasn’t for the struggle of so many others. And sacrifices that opened doors for them and for me, doors that would have been otherwise closed to us. Many brave individuals, sacrificed and toiled so that future generations – including my three own daughters — could live in a society where diversity is celebrated, and not feared. I’m speaking about the sacrifices of people like Dr. Martin Luther King, Thurgood Marshall, Rosa Parks, the Little Rock Nine, and so many others both known and unknown. And this evening as we remember and celebrate their sacrifices, I think we must also realize that the struggle for social and racial justice in our country is a continuing one. That we cannot become complacent. Especially today – in this particular moment that we’re living in – when it seems like the pendulum of decency, the pendulum of tolerance has swung so far back in the wrong direction. Especially today when so many people throughout this country are openly questioning their neighbors patriotism, their neighbors loyalty simply because of the way they look; how they worship or don’t; or who they love. And here’s what’s even more troubling about this moment that we’re living in, these comments, these type of beliefs, are no longer hidden in the dark corners of the internet, we now see them being said in the public squares. And in some places we’re seeing an increase in acts of physical violence, motivated by hate and by bias. Now unfortunately for me, I’ve experienced this type of hate and intolerance firsthand, and, I’ve experienced this type of treatment firsthand. And I think, that’s why for me as Attorney General, in this moment, I feel a special duty to ensure that New Jersey remains a national leader on issues of equality, on issues of racial justice, on issues of social justice. And that’s a commitment that our Governor also shares. That’s an integral part of his vision, for a stronger and for a fairer New Jersey for all of our residents. I’m reminded here by Dr. Martin Luther King’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail, and there are a lot of famous portions of that letter that are often quoted, but there’s one that I want to share with you because I think it motivates a lot of what I’m talking about this evening and a lot of what motivates me in this job. And in that letter which was a work in which examined the interplay between just and unjust laws and the roles of the court and the roles of protest, he wrote “law and order exist for the purpose of establishing justice and that when they fail in this purpose they become the dangerously structured dams that block the flow of social progress.” That’s why we do what we do – to promote justice and that’s going to be a guiding principle for me as we move forward in this tenure. Let me just close by talking about our children, I touched on it a moment ago, I want to talk about our next generation and I want to just share one additional quote that I find so moving and compelling and it’s from Nelson Mandela’s powerful autobiography, “A Long Walk to Freedom.” And in it he writes: “No one is born hating another person. No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or his background or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” I couldn’t agree with this statement more. I don’t think children are born predisposed to dislike, to resent or to mistrust others who may sound or look different or may believe different. This innocence and purity makes the loss of young life even more profound. As we mourn as a nation for the 17 lives lost last week in Parkland Florida – fifteen of whom were children – we do so recognizing the change that they represent – the change that the next generation represents and can bring. And here’s the thing, if we can build community trust, if we can reach out to our young people with positive messages about equality and diversity, we can shape a future. We can shape a future in which much of the tension that exists in our society – and the discord and violence that is often attending to it – simply won’t exist anymore. And while it might sometimes seem like an impossible task, I think we’ll get there working together by those collaborations that I discussed. And going back to what Dr. King said, “The arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice.” And I’m confident that by working together we’ll get there. Celebrating Black History month is what’s brought us together here tonight. And Black History is vitally important part of the American story. But American history is rich with tales of people of all races working together to strengthen their communities, to overcome injustice and provide greater opportunity for all people. And that history we should all remember is still being written. And we’re all playing a part in it. And so looking ahead, I would hope that we would rededicate ourselves to ensuring that the rights and freedoms of all persons, by working together to encourage unity and collaboration, and by protecting our nation’s founding dream of freedom and equality for all. And this is not just done on a grand scale – it is done every day through our actions – it’s done every day thru our conversations, and it’s done every day simply in our hearts and how we live our lives. And I just hope we do it the right way because there’s just so much negativity in this world but by coming together I think we’ll be in a better place. So thank you very much for having me this evening.