Dr. MLK Jr.'s Legacy: Here Are Some Ways To Celebrate Monday

TAMPA BAY, FL — Tampa Bay residents seeking to remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Monday will have plenty of opportunities.

The federal holiday in memory of the assassinated civil rights leader will be observed with parades, discussion panels and honors presented to those who have carried on King's inspirational message of peace and equity.

42nd Annual MLK Leadership Breakfast

The Tampa Organization of Black Affairs will host its 42nd annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Breakfast Monday from 6:45 to 9 a.m. at the Marriott Tampa Water Street, 505 Water St., Tampa.

The event will bring together nearly 1,000 attendees consisting of corporate sponsors, politicians, members of grassroots organizations and the community at large to honor the principles espoused by King and to foster positive community relations.

This year's program includes a keynote address from the Rev. Emanuel Cleaver II, in which he'll discuss positive solutions to racial concerns in Tampa Bay.

Founded in 1979, TOBA's mission is to promote social, educational, political and economic awareness in regard to equity in the community.

• Masks are required regardless of vaccination status. Guests can remove their masks to eat but must put them back on after the meal is concluded.

• Hand sanitizers will be available at each table

• Those who feel sick, have a fever, chills or runny nose should not attend.

Saint Leo Run Toward Justice 5K

Saint Leo University’s Social Justice Committee is sponsoring the Saint Leo Run Toward Justice 5K to benefit local organizations that promote social justice initiatives throughout the community.

The virtual 5K race day is Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan. 17). Participants may run the 5K any day through Jan. 21. Participants may run, walk, or use any mobility assistance device to complete 3.1 miles.

All skill levels and abilities are welcome. The goal is to complete 3.1 miles in one session, and participants will monitor their own completion time. Participants may use a watch or any time keeping/race tracking app on their phone. After completing the race, participants must send their completion time to runtowardjustice@saintleo.edu.

Since this inaugural Run Toward Justice 5K is virtual, runners/walkers may participate from wherever they are located. Run or walk along a favorite trail, the beach, a neighborhood, or jump on a treadmill.

The registration fee is $40. Participants will receive a Saint Leo Run Toward Justice 5K T-shirt and a certificate of completion.

The registration fees from the 5K will go to the Migrant Education Program, which provides services to migrant students and their families through Hillsborough County Public Schools. Migrant families travel extensively throughout the United States to harvest fruits and vegetables. As essential workers, they provide the food to feed the nation despite hardships of their own.

Challenges that the MEP helps mitigate are academic, health, social, parent engagement and family literacy.

For more information and to register, visit the Run Toward Justice 5K website.

MLK Drive-Up Service

The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Committee of Dade City will host a drive-up MLK Day service Monday at 10 a.m. at the Moore-Mickens Education Center, 38303 Martin Luther King Blvd., Dade City.

Symbolic March And Celebration

The African American Club of Pasco will host a Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day symbolic march and celebration.

The multi-cultural program will begin at 11 a.m. at Unity Spiritual Center, 5844 Pine Hill Road, Port Richey, preceeded by a symbolic march at 10:30 a.m. starting at Union Missionary Baptist Church, 6235 Pine Hill Road, Port Richey. For the health and safety of others, mask are requiring during the program. Light refreshments will follow.

Tampa Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade

The annual Tampa Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade, hosted by the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade Foundation Inc., will take place Monday at noon, starting at Cuscaden Park, 2900 N 15th St., and ending at Middleton High School.

After a year off due to COVID-19, the parade resumes and organizers say it will be larger than the 2020 parade.

Parade entries include floats, marching bands, equestrian groups and decorated vehicles of all types providing an opportunity for businesses, churches, community groups and local government officials to celebrate Dr. King’s legacy and meet the community they serve.

The foundation has named Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister as its 2022 Community Hero award recipient. The sheriff, along with schools bands, marching troupes, civic organizations, businesses and dignitaries, will take part in the parade, which started with the formation of the foundation in 2014.

For additional information, contact Howard Harris at 813-404-3039.

St. Petersburg Dream Big MLK Day Parade

The annual St. Petersburg Dr. MLK Jr. Day Dream Big Parade starts at 11 a.m. in downtown St. Pete. The route begins at First Avenue South and goes to 16th Street North and then to the Tropicana Field's lot 1 where it ends.

MLK Children's Crafts

Stop by Smaland at Ikea, 1103 N 22nd St., Tampa, Monday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for a take-home kid's craft in honor of MLK day. Children 12 and under can pick up a kit to create a "Change the World" craft in honor of MLK Day, while supplies last.

All supplies provided for this take and make project. RSVP here.

Life And Legacy Of Muhammad Ali

WEDU PBS will observe Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and honor the life and legacy of Muhammad Ali Monday at 6 p.m. at the Tampa Theatre, 711 N Franklin St., Tampa.

There will be a screening of clips from the Ken Burns documentary film, "Muhammad Ali," followed by a panel discussion. Guests will include religious leader Imam Askia Muhammad Aquil, community activists and champion boxers from the area.

Students from The Skills Center Tampa will talk about how sports have empowered them with the tools they need to become future leaders.

This event is free but registration is required. Click here.

MLK Living History Virtual Event

American are invited to honor the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Jan. 17 and 24 with living history interpreter John W. McCaskill as he chronicles the last five years of King’s life and shares other stories of the individuals who fought to end racial segregation & discrimination in the United States.

The event is presented by the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Join the free, virtual event: https://s.si.edu/3Fhqkx2.

'I Have A Dream' Virtual Races

The “I Have a Dream” virtual 1-mile, 5K, 10K and 26.2-mile races can be completed anytime in January, even better if it’s Jan. 17.

A portion of every registration fee (15 percent) will be donated to the Equal Justice Initiative.
Comes with a limited-edition medal with a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that reads, “I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”

The registration fee of $18 includes a race medal and bib.

The Equal Justice Initiative is an organization that is committed to ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States, to challenging racial and economic injustice and to protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American Society.

Click here.

National Civil Right Museum Offers Virtual Event

The National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee, will remember Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Monday with a special celebration via live stream at noon and 6 p.m. Central time.

The online celebration will feature musical performances by musical director Garry Goin, cover musicians Southern Avenue and more. The virtual event airs on the museum’s website at noon Central time.

On King Day, the museum will also collaborate with organizations to offer voter education, registration and activation to help ensure every person understands their voting rights and receives voting updates.

The museum will also join the fight to dispel misinformation around historical atrocities and racial discrimination like the Tuskegee Experiment that led to the mistrust around vaccinations.

In the “Communities for Immunity” initiative, the museum highlights issues and stereotypes that contribute to health care disparity, lack of access and mistreatment of patients of color. The museum is sharing important messages on the seriousness of COVID-19, getting vaccinated, tested and wearing masks to save lives.

This article originally appeared on the Tampa Patch