Martin Luther King Day is a federal holiday held the third Monday in January to honor the late civil rights leader. This year it falls on Monday, January 21, 2013. Schools are closed, so there is ample opportunity to join in activities with your kids.
Reverend King was an incredibly powerful force and exceptional example for all of us. He is honored in ways that emphasize his values and faith in the human spirit.
The Southwest Riverside News Network at www.swrnn.com lists the annual Kingdom Day Parade held on Monday the 21st. The theme is “The Dream Continues to Live and Grow” and begins at 11 a.m. at Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and Western Ave. in South Los Angeles. It ends at the Leimert Park festival. This very large parade includes floats, drill teams, marching bands, color guard teams, dance groups, the L.A. County Sheriff’s Dept. equestrians, and the L.A.P.D. motorcycle drill team. The theme of the floats honors King’s fight to end poverty and inequality.
The Huffington Post at www.huffingtonpost.com , lists activities people can give back to their communities. In Los Angeles, people will participate in a project to revitalize and beautify local school campuses. Allstate Insurance and Target employees will be volunteering all over the country, hosting multicultural fairs, helping homeless shelters, and creating artwork for senior citizens. Some organizations are assembling toiletry kits for military personnel and veterans.
To find volunteer opportunities, look up Causecast’s Community Impact Platform or www.volunteermatch.org.
The Autry Museum is open and free on MLK Day. The address is 4700 Heritage Way, Los Angeles, across from the Los Angeles Zoo.
The Kidspace Children’s Museum hosts a day to help families explore acceptance, one of Martin Luther King’s values. They will have workshops, performances, and exhibits to promote this concept. Volunteers will help assist in tree planting, painting, making bracelets for the troops, helping with performances, and making a mural. Monday, January 21st from 8:30 – 5 p.m. 480 N. Arroyo Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91103 (in the Rose Bowl Parking Lot).
L.A. Works is having more than 1000 community and corporate volunteers to make MLK Day a “Day On, Not a Day Off.” They will revitalize the campus of a Title I school in Los Angeles, moving us closer to Dr. King’s vision of community. Activities include planting flowers, and doing math-themed projects like a chess tournament. The school is in Glassell Park. Find out more from www.volunteermatch.org.
This year, make Martin Luther King Day a meaningful experience for your family. They will feel better about themselves and more empowered as a result!
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