On the 57th anniversary of the historic March on Washington and Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, today marks the Virtual March on Washington (opens in new tab) (The Commitment March). This historic event comes at a time when the "Black Lives Matter" movement continues to bring attention to the horrific institutional racism against Blacks and the BIPOC community. This anniversary is both poignant and more significant than ever. In this global reckoning and in response to the ensuing police violence (opens in new tab), the March reaffirms Dr. King's words: according to NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson (opens in new tab), the Commitment March is "an opportunity for everyone from protesters in the streets to all levels of government It asks everyone, from street protesters to elected officials at all levels of government, to commit to pursuing a new agenda that prioritizes fairness, justice, and equal opportunity," he said. As the November elections approach, "we must mobilize to vote as never before. Understandably, given the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, if you can't travel or participate in person right now, there are more ways than ever to get involved virtually. The march is underway now, so start acting now.

The march's website, 2020march.com (opens in new tab), has a schedule of events (opens in new tab) (technically, the event kicked off last night). The march is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. ET today, with speeches by the Rev. Al Sharpton and Martin Luther King III, who will lead the march along with families of black victims of police brutality. Yesterday, we heard from Senator Cory Booker, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Stacey Abrams. Tonight, there will be a virtual program including Bebe Winans and Rev. William J. Barber II.

You can get text updates on what is happening:

And you can watch the live stream here:

The march is also being covered in the news (opens in new tab).

According to the announcement, "The NAACP will also conduct strong civic engagement activities to bring about multiple changes, including encouraging participants to register to vote and participate in the census." I urge you to check out the NAACP website (opens in new tab) and get involved. And, perhaps it goes without saying, another way to participate indirectly is by registering to vote and voting (opens in new tab).

Also, check out the NAACP (open in new tab), Sharpton's civil rights organization National Action Network (NAN) (open in new tab), National Coalition on Black Civic Participation (NCBCP) (open in new (open in new tab), National Urban League (open in new tab), Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (open in new tab), The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights (open in new tab). Some also have their own hashtags, such as #NANMOW2020, which you can follow along with their respective social accounts. Some on Twitter use #MarchonWashington and #MarchonWashington2020.

According to a spokesperson, NAN will also be live streaming the march on YouTube (opens in new tab) and uploading new content, including:

Some events are ongoing (slash reading), but depending on where you live Depending on where you live, there may be events going on this evening as well; NAN said it will be working with local chapters in Kentucky, South Carolina, Texas, and other states to organize events to commemorate the march. Spokeswoman Rachel Noadlinger (open in new tab) said that sister marches will be held in Columbia, South Carolina; Birmingham, Alabama; Miami, Florida; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

If you are considering direct participation, here are some important tips on coronavirus protocols, counter-protesters, and how to interact with law enforcement. They can also keep in touch with friends and family if they wish to participate in person.