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Celebrate the iconic civil rights leader this Saturday, by attending the 29th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Peace & Unity Parade and Celebration, and on Monday, when Leadership Long Beach’s “Day On, not a Day Off” will honor the MLK National Day of Service by giving back to the community.
The parade’s theme is “Love & Forgiveness” and will kick off at 10:30AM at the intersection of Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue and Anaheim Street. This year’s grand marshals are Assemblymember Mike Gipson, City Auditor Laura Doud, Long Beach Fire Chief Mike DuRee, and community members Leonard Adams, Tevy Men Sithan, and Chhaylee Saing.
After the parade the party continues at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park from noon to 5:00PM, where the entertainment will include Michael Jackson impersonator ReMJ, Wrigley’s local Geriatrixx trio, Kush Jackson, Andre Ray & LTD 4Ever, and headliner Klymaxx featuring Cheryl Coolie.
On Monday, join Leadership Long Beach, the Port of Long Beach, the Office of Mayor Robert Garcia, the Office of Vice Mayor Rex Richardson and other community and city organizations in a kickoff rally at 8:00AM at MLK Park, after which volunteers will be dispersed throughout the city to participate in environmental service projects.
“This collaborative project, which touches the diverse communities of Long Beach, aligns with the MLK, Jr. National Day of Service goal to ‘Make it a Day On, Not a Day Off’,” said Jeff Williams, executive director of Leadership Long Beach, in a statement. “This is a great way to have the community focus on the messages from Dr. King through doing service and celebrating his life’s work by having all of Long Beach serve together.”
2017 marks the seventh year Leadership Long Beach has collaborated with community partners for the MLK National Day of Service. Past projects have included fruit harvesting for local food banks, tree planting at area parks and removing trash and debris from parking lots near the old Atlantic Theatre, according to Leadership Long Beach. This year’s projects include garden planting, exterior house painting, painting a mural and more. Volunteers can still register at the link below.
All are welcome to volunteer and join the day of service. A free pancake breakfast will be provided for volunteers at the kickoff rally by the Long Beach Fire Department and shuttles provided by Molina Healthcare will transport volunteers to projects. Volunteers should dress appropriately for outdoor, physical activity, as well as bring their own reusable water bottle.
Attendees can park for free after the parade on Saturday at the Long Beach City College Pacific Coast Campus on Orange Avenue and 19th Street. For more information and to sign up as a volunteer for “Day On, Not a Day Off” on Monday, visit the website here.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Park is located at 1950 Lemon Avenue.