Pasadena MLK Community Coalition

Keeping the Legacy of Martin Luther King Alive!

Pasadena MLK Community Coalition - Keeping the Legacy of Martin Luther King Alive!

Monthly Archives: August 2013

Celebrating 50 Years of “A Dream”

The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom or The Great March on Washington, was one of the largest political rallies for human rights in United States history and called for civil and economic rights for African Americans. It took place in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, August 28, 1963. Martin Luther King, Jr., standing in front of the Lincoln Memorial, delivered his historic I Have a Dream speech advocating racial harmony during the march.

The march was organized by a group of civil rights, labor, and religious organizations, under the theme “jobs, and freedom.” It is estimated that approximately 200,000 to 300,000 people attended. Observers estimated that 75–80% of the marchers were African Americana and the remaining marchers identified with other ethnic or racial origins.

The magnitude of the march is widely credited with helping to pass the Civil Rights Act (1964) and the Voting Rights Act (1965).


[Video Copyrighted by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 1963. Authorized by The King Center, Atlanta, GA. For more information about building Dr. King's Beloved Community, visit www.thekingcenter.org]

Initially, organizers disagreed over the purpose of the march. The NAACP and Urban League saw it as a gesture of support for a civil rights bill that had been introduced by the Kennedy Administration. On the other hand, Randolph, King, and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) saw it as a way of raising both civil rights and economic issues to national attention beyond the Kennedy bill. A third group, comprised by both the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) saw it as a way of challenging and condemning the Kennedy administration’s inaction and lack of support for civil rights for African Americans.

Ultimately, the various civil rights groups involved agreed that the march should address the following universal goals:

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Passage of meaningful civil rights legislation; Immediate elimination of school segregation; A program of public works, including job training, for the unemployed; A Federal law prohibiting discrimination in public or private hiring; A $2-an-hour minimum wage nationwide; Withholding Federal funds from programs that tolerate discrimination; Enforcement of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution by reducing congressional representation from States that disenfranchise citizens; A broadened Fair Labor Standards Act to currently excluded employment areas; Authority for the Attorney General to institute injunctive suits when constitutional rights are violated.

On August 28, 2013, America celebrates the 50th anniversary of the seminal speech of the American civil rights movement, Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. King’s messages still have a lasting and universal impact. Share your dream! #IDREAM and join us on August 26 at 6am EST for a global viewing party of the March on Washington here: at the CO.NX virtual portal http://goo.gl/u34BPC

You’re Invited to the YWCA 11th Annual Women for Racial Justice Breakfast

The Pasadena MLK Community Coalition is pleased to invite you to support the YWCA Pasadena-Foothill Valley’s 11th Annual Women for Racial Justice Breakfast. Last year, 550 of Pasadena’s community leaders gathered to honor the National Hispanic Media Coalition for its accomplishments in helping advance American Latino employment and programming equity throughout the entertainment industry. Guests had the pleasure of hearing from Dolores Huerta, lifelong advocate for women’s equality, immigration rights, and social justice causes. On Monday, October 21, 2013, the YWCA will hold its 11th Annual Women for Racial Justice Breakfast at the Pasadena Hilton Hotel from 7:30 to 9:30 am.

This year’s event will feature keynote speaker Annalisa Enrile, PhD, who brings awareness to social issues in the Filipino-American community, and has been a vocal activist against human trafficking and violence against women. Our 2013 Racial Justice Award recipient will be Jacqueline Jacobs, PhD. Dr. Jacobs has served as Co-Chair of the Pasadena City College President’s African American Advisory Committee, and is currently the President of the Pasadena Martin Luther King Community Coalition. We are thrilled to present her with the Racial Justice Award this year!

Can we count on your support this year?

Simply pledge or purchase by August 31 and your name (or the name you designate) will be listed on the invitation and program as a:

    •Community Benefactor ($800 if paid before September 30, $900 thereafter): Table of 10 and two tickets to the 2014 Women’s Leadership & Networking Day

    •Community Advocate ($600 if paid before September 30, $700 thereafter): Table of 10

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Should filling your 10 seats pose a challenge, the YWCA can help; you have the option of donating any number of seats back for community members served by its programs.

The Women for Racial Justice Breakfast continues to be a unique, inspirational community event because the YWCA continues to be an innovative and cutting edge organization in its empowerment of women and girls in our community. Please save the date and reply by email or phone regarding your reservation, or make your purchase online. If you have questions, please contact Jessica Kubel at the YWCA: (626) 296-8433 or by email at [email protected].