Plan your MLK Holiday now!  Below is the Martin Luther King Community Coalition’s 2016 Calendar of Events.  There are five local events being held from January 9, 2016 to January 18, 2016 that honor the legacy of Martin Luther King. To download a flyer, click here: MLK Community Coalition 2016 Calendar of Events.

Show your support by volunteering or by just attending.  If you are interested in serving your community in some capacity this year, please use the contact numbers and emails listed below.

January 9, 2016
Rekindling the Light of Peace
Pasadena City Hall Chambers, 10 a.m.
100 N. Garfield Avenue | Pasadena, CA 91101

Description:  The Pasadena Human Relations Commission invites the public to attend the 15^th annual “Rekindling the Light of Peace” event in the City Council Chambers at Pasadena City Hall.

The free event features guest speakers, music and poetry readings and is a prelude to celebrations that occur on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

In addition to the City’s Human Relations Commission, the event is supported by The Martin Luther King Jr. Community Coalition, the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, Ecumenical Council of Pasadena Area Churches, YWCA Pasadena Foothill Valley, the Pasadena Unified School District, Altadena NAACP, Pasadena NAACP, Aspires West Pasadena, the Pasadena Journal and the Pasadena Weekly.

To read a moving post written in 2004 by Mayor Bill Bogaard, click here.

For more information, the public can call (626) 744-4234 and visit http://www.cityofpasadena.net/.

Tuesday, January 12, 2016 @ 6:30 p.m.
MLK Essay and Visual and Performing Arts Finalists’ Public Readings, Displays, and Presentations
Don Benito Fundamental School
3700 Denair Street | Pasadena, CA 91107

Description: Come listen to original speeches and enjoy an evening of viewing beautiful artwork and performances paying tribute to Dr. King by the MLK Essay and Visual & Performing Arts Contest finalists and winners.  The hosting school organizes the event to showcase some of the other diverse talents of the students.  Admission is free.

Saturday, January 16, 2015 @ 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
MLK Day of Service:  A Day On, Not Off
Hamilton Middle School
2089 Rose Villa Street | Pasadena, CA  91107

Description:  On the Saturday before the MLK Day of Service, it is our tradition to provide a local school with volunteers to help beautify the campus.  We will plant flowers, clean up, and do several maintenance tasks.  Afterwards, we will enjoy a nice lunch and entertainment from the students from the school.  This is a cooperation between Martin Luther King Community Coalition and Pasadena Unified School District and the school principal.

Sunday, January 17, 2016 @ 3:30 p.m.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Celebration Service
Metropolitan Baptist Church
2283 N. Fair Oaks Ave. | Altadena, CA  91001

Description:  The Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance of Greater Pasadena presents its 2016 edition of the “Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Celebration Service,” featuring local pastors. The event is hosted by Rev. Tyrone L. Skinner from Metropolitan Baptist Church. The Ministerial Alliance, a fellowship of more than thirty local pastors and ministers who are spiritual leaders in the community, has been sponsoring these annual local celebrations since the first year after Dr. King’s death in 1968.

For more information, visit http://ima-greaterpasadena.org/index.html.

Monday, January 18, 2016 @ 8:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Celebration and Student Awards
Jackie Robinson Park
1081 North Fair Oaks Ave. | Pasadena, CA 91103

• 8:00 a.m.-9:30 a.m.:  Continental Breakfast
• 9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m.:  Teach-in
• 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.:  King Holiday Celebration and Program
• 12:30 p.m.:  Lunch

Description:  The Martin Luther King Community Coalition, Pasadena Unified School District, Pasadena Tournament of Roses, and Aspires West of Pasadena in conjunction with the city of Pasadena, National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa, Inc., Gamma Lambda chapter presents the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday breakfast and celebration.

Families, friends, community members, local and state political leaders will be in attendance as student finalists are presented awards for their participation in the MLK Community Coalition Essay and Art Contest.  This free event features guest speakers, music, food, arts and crafts for kids, and is the culminating ceremony of the 2016 MLK Holiday Celebration events.

For more information, send an email to [email protected].

On August 3, 2015, the Martin Luther King Community Coalition officially kicked off the new 2015-2016 Essay and Visual & Performing Arts Contest year at the Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) with superintendent, Dr. Brian McDonald, and Julianne Reynoso, Executive Director, Elementary Schools.

Dr. David and Jackie Jacobs presented the new 2015-2016 MLK Community Coalition Essay and Art Contest packet.  They also gave a report on the previous year, explained the processes and procedures of the contest, discussed recent updates to the contest packet, and unveiled a new contest category.  In addition to the traditional visual arts competition, a performing arts division of the contest has been added!

McDonald and Reynoso expressed their support and continued commitment to the annual Pasadena Martin Luther King, Jr. contest and holiday activities.  They will be following through with distributing the information to the schools and principals, encouraging school participation, and displaying the winning art in the Pasadena Unified School District office and website.