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17th Annual Holiday Celebration for Martin Luther King, Jr. 2024
January 11 @ 9:00 am - 1:00 pm PST
Free
2024’s Theme: “The time is always ripe to do right.” MLK’s quote from 1963 in Birmingham, Alabama. This year’s morning program is dedicated to Derrick Curtis, well known dancer, teacher and producer. Beginning at 9:00am at de la Guerra Plaza with an opening prayer by Mia Lopez of the Barbareño Chumash Tribe, Keynote Speaker Professor Edward Song from Westmont College, selection of school children’s awarded Essay and Poetry readings plus World Dance for Humanity. March up State Street at 10am to the Arlington Theatre where the 90-minute program dedicated to the memory of Sojourner Kincaid Rolle (SKR) will begin at 11 am. The program will include Keynote Speaker, UCSB Environmental Justice Professor, Dr. David Pellow, a collection of top awarded poems and essays read by the children who penned them. This was Sojourner’s passion – poetry. Miriam Dance directs the program and is a soloist along with Lois Mahalia, the Riviera Ridge School Children’s Choir, a gospel choir and jazz music. The audience will be invited to a Celebration of Life for Sojourner following the presentation at the Arlington Theatre. Location will be announced at the theatre.
Round-Up of the Five-Days of Events to Honor
Martin Luther King, Jr. Jan 11 – 15, 2023
PLUS, Photo Exhibit at CAW Jan. 23 – Feb. 4.
Thursday, January 11: MLK Weekend of events begins with the Ceremony at UCSB’s Eternal Flame on the Buchanan Hall lawn near the Library from 12 noon to 1pm. Followed by a walk to North Hall to honor the protestors who demanded more programs, services and faculty for African American students, (https://obsd.sa.ucsb.edu/1968-north-hall) which led to the development of the Center for Black Studies Research and the hiring of more African-American faculty.
Friday January 12: B’nai B’rith Friday Night Service at Trinity Lutheran Church, 909 N. La Cumbre Ave., Santa Barbara from 6 – 7 pm. Awarded Students readings with representatives from the two age groups: 6 – 12 and 13 – 18 years.
Saturday January 13: Day of Service. Choose your non-profit to do ‘A Day of Service’ in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the MLKSB Committee. Post on social media and Hashtag it #MLKSB #dayofservice
Sunday January 14: Worship at a service of your choice. List on MLKSB.org https://mlksb.org/support/faith-organizations/
Monday January 15: MLKSB Federal Holiday Three programs. Starts at 9am through 3pm (see above fact sheet for details).
Gratitude to MLKSB Major Sponsors: City of Santa Barbara, Fidelity National Title, James S. Bower Foundation, First United Methodist Church, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services, Congregation B’nai B’rith, UCSB Multi Cultural Center and Healing Justice/Santa Barbara.
COMING UP January 23 through Feb. 4 “Capturing & Recapturing” at CAW, the Community Arts Workshop, 631 Garden St., Santa Barbara, 93101. Exhibit of photos by prolific photo journalist and fine arts photographer, Santi Visalli of never-before-seen photos of Dr. King. Lost for 50 years! https://www.sbcaw.org
Donate to keep MLK’s legacy alive and help underwrite the events and programs of the MLKSB Committee. https://mlksb.org/donate/
The mission of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Committee of Santa Barbara is to foster positive relationships between many diverse groups in the Santa Barbara community and the surrounding areas; to sponsor programs and events which exemplify the teachings of Dr. King; and to observe, and celebrate the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday.
