By Edward Henderson
Photos by Sterling Miller
Martin Luther King Jr. weekend in San Diego is jam packed with events, galas, luncheons and breakfasts. While the volume can be overwhelming, the spirit of each event sets one apart from the other. With the social climate in today’s society, we need all of the eminence of Dr. Kings message we can get.
On Monday, January 13th Alliance San Diego hosted their 30th All Peoples Celebration. The event took place at the Balboa Park Activity Center as over 1,500 attendees enjoyed breakfast along with a morning of inspiration, community and honoring Dr. King’s legacy.
The morning began with a resource fair outside of the Activity Center where individuals could connect with organizations that work alongside Alliance to make San Diego a better place. Once doors to the event opened, breakfast was served and attendees enjoyed performances from bkSoul, a dance company and performance troupe, and the San Diego Poetry Slam Team. Both groups received rousing ovations from the audience.
Civil rights attorney served as the keynote speaker for the event. Paterson is the co-founder and president of the Equal Justice Society, a nonprofit organization transforming the nation’s consciousness on race through law, social science, and the arts. Paterson’s message touched on the erratic behavior of Donald Trump since he’s been in office and the call to action that she believes those actions create. Despite the turmoil and ignorance his administration displays, however, Paterson ended her speech with a message of engagement, hope and love that she believes will combat the things that are happening in the world today.
“It was good energy from start to finish,” said Alliance Associate Director Christopher Wilson. “It couldn’t have gone any smoother. It was meaningful, poignant, community driven, and most of all it was on message for the times we live in.”
Wilson believes that message is everyone needs to stand together. The event closed with everyone in attendance, ranging in age, race and religious beliefs holding hands and singing ‘We Shall Overcome’.
“In a day and age where a president can call countries in Africa, El Salvador and Haiti what he did, we’re in trouble. Dr. King would have said the moments where we have our greatest challenges are the moments where we make our biggest gains. So this is an opportunity for us to really change something in the world.”
Visit alliancesd.org to stay up to date on the events, programs, and activism the organization spearheads.
