The following opinion was submitted by state Sen. Ken Donnelly, a Democrat who represents Arlington and other communities

Black History Month is a time to acknowledge the contributions African-Americans have made to our country and to reflect on how far we as a nation have come in addressing social injustice.  And while it’s true that we have made great strides, we still face great challenges in creating a true land of equal opportunity.

Today the challenges faced by many, especially young adults and minorities, are that of economic opportunity.

In a speech given in 1963, Dr Martin Luther King stated, “I never intend to adjust myself to economic conditions that will take necessities from the many to give luxuries to the few.” The economic conditions King spoke of are as true today as they were in 1963 and while the reasons for the disparities may be different the effect is the same; a few people have much while more and more people have less.

This opinion column was submitted for publication by Senator Ken Donnelly:

Before the midsession break, the Legislature passed a very significant piece of legislation, the Transgender Equal Rights Act. The goal of the law is simple – to ensure the essential protections for transgender residents who are not currently protected in any areas of the Commonwealth’s civil rights laws.

As an advocate for the 4^th Middlesex District – Arlington, Billerica, Burlington, Lexington and Woburn – I have the responsibility to campaign for the rights of all individuals who reside in these communities. I take this responsibility very seriously, which is why I both cosponsored and supported this legislation.

The act, passed on Wednesday, Nov. 16, on a voice vote includes transgender residents as a “protected class” in the state’s hate crime laws, prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity in jobs, housing, insurance, mortgage loans and credit.