Martin Luther King, Jr. stood for so much more than civil rights—he championed for liberty and freedom for all. On MLK day, his legacy will be celebrated throughout the nation with parades, special events and programs.
On Friday, January 18, from 7:30-9:30AM, the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles will host its 48th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Brotherhood Breakfast celebrating exemplary community leaders whose work pays tribute to Dr. King’s lifelong commitment to equality, social justice and community service. Dr. Alfred E. Osborne, Jr., interim dean of UCLA Anderson School of Management and founder and faculty director of Harold and Pauline Price Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, will serve as the keynote speaker and recipient of the Human Dignity Award. Renata Simril, president and CEO of the LA84 Foundation, will be honored with the Brotherhood Award.
On January 19-21, the Kidspace Children Museum is honoring the legacy of Dr. King. In partnership with Project Giving Kids, they will be onsite from 10AM-1PM each day with service projects for families to participate in and learn ways how to continue to volunteer to make communities stronger. At 1PM each day, there will be a dance and cultural presentation by the California Step Association focusing on the legacy of Dr. King and Black History Month. Event activities are included with museum admission. Learn more about Kidspace hours and admission at www.kidspacemuseum.org.
On January 21, the annual 34th Annual Kingdom Day Parade, the largest parade in the nation, kicks off at Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. and Western and continues to Crenshaw and Vernon in Leimert Park in Los Angeles. The celebration includes marching bands, drill teams, local organizations, local officials and floats galore. This year’s theme is “Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds, Healthy Democracy.”
On January 21, Santa Monica College and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Westside Coalition will celebrate with Derric J. Johnson, the founding director of Crossroads School’s newly created Equity and Justice Institute, who will be the keynote speaker at the birthday celebration for Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the SGI-USA World Peace Ikeda Auditorium located at 525 Wilshire Blvd. in Santa Monica, CA. This year’s celebration marks the event’s 34th anniversary and embraces the theme “Injustice Anywhere is a Threat to Justice Everywhere.” The multi-ethnic, interfaith program will include inspirational readings, speakers, music and dance.
The free event is one of the largest and most diverse celebrations in Southern California scheduled for 9AM. After the program, the Community Involvement Fair will offer refreshments and informational displays by a variety of community organizations held from 10:30AM to noon at the nearby Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows, 101 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, CA.
Also, on January 21, the California African American Museum will be celebrating with a full day of events for everyone from 10AM-5PM. The days event includes art activities, music and food trucks on the patio, a listening of King’s 1968 speech in Los Angeles, panel discussions, a musical tribute and a march through Exposition Park. Please visit https://caamuseum.org for more info.
