The 21st annual Davis Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration will take place on Monday, January 19, 2015 at 10:30 a.m. in the Varsity Theatre, 616 Second Street. The event is free, and community members are encouraged to attend.
The program is presented by the Davis Human Relations Commission and the City of Davis. It will feature presentations and music to help commemorate the life and accomplishments of Dr. King for civil rights, peace and nonviolence. The focus of this year’s event will be service and its role in community-building, diversity and understanding.
The keynote address “Keep Your Eyes on the Prize” will be presented by Reverend Tim Malone, long-time Davis resident and founder of the regional Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Program. Rev. Malone has a long history of service and activism in the area of social justice. He has been the Campus and Community Outreach Minister for UC Davis, broadening the experiences of UC Davis students through volunteer opportunities. Malone has served as the director of the Broderick Christian Center in West Sacramento and has been a leader in local affordable housing issues. His personal and professional pursuits lead him to find ways to help those in need and bring together people from diverse backgrounds. In 2004, Malone organized the Martin Luther King Jr Scholarship Fund, which assists deserving students from the region with funding to support their college educations.
In addition to Rev. Malone’s keynote address, a panel of community members will discuss service in the community. Robin Dewey with Team Davis Special Olympics, Clarence van Hook with Western Yolo Grange and Ciara Main from Get on the Bus will inspire participants to think about how service strengthens and benefits not only individuals but also the greater community.
In addition, attendees will be entertained and moved by the vocal performances of James Williams, Clarence van Hook and Nathalie Minya, each of whom will share their musical talents during the program.
The program will conclude with well-known local musician Dick Holdstock and the Davis Freedom Singers. The singers will also perform several classic peace and freedom songs before leading attendees in a symbolic “Freedom March” through downtown Davis. The march will follow the program, which concludes at approximately 11:45 a.m. on Monday.
