Just days away from President-elect Donald Trump officially taking office, a democratic voice with a different view. “He deserves a chance to prove himself and we’ll see,” says Joe Reed, Chairman of the Alabama Democratic Conference.

Over the weekend, a war of words between civil rights icon Congressman John Lewis and Mr. Trump led to more than two dozen members of Congress, so far, boycotting the inauguration.

“I know a lot of Alabama voted for him. He’s conservative. I don’t buy a New York Yankee to be conservative now if you want to know the truth about it. I think he’s wild,” says Reed. But he says he is hopeful. “Maybe before he leaves office somebody can get Mr. Trump’s attention on realities on what America’s about, on realities of what people are about.”

According to Reed, those realities were preached by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and that message resonates decades later. “I want people to learn it doesn’t matter what color you are,” says Jaden Jackson of Fairhope, “white, black, Mexican, we’re all the same.”

On a day where memories of the civil rights struggle are remembered with every step, Reed fears another struggle may be on the horizon. “I’m sorry, I don’t have great hope but the burden of proof is on the people who take office.”

And on this day honoring his father, Martin Luther King, III met with President-elect Trump in New York. He described his meeting concerning efforts to improve the voting system as constructive.