November 5, 2024 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

30th annual Kingdom Day Parade marches through South Los Angeles

The parade had more than 3,000 participants. (Thinkstock)
The parade had more than 3,000 participants. (Thinkstock)

The 30th annual Kingdom Day Parade worked its way through South Los Angeles on Monday with the theme “Love & Respect: Let It Begin With Me,” and with Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson serving as grand marshal.

Southern California’s largest Martin Luther King Jr. Day observance began at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Vermont Avenue, heading west on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to Crenshaw Boulevard, ending near Leimert Park.

The parade had more than 3,000 participants. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, last year’s grand marshal, joined Wesson on his float, along with Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon, D-Los Angeles.

“This is about lifting everyone, and we want to deliver that message to whoever listens,” Wesson told ABC7 along the parade route.

Garcetti told the station the parade marks not only “the legacy of Dr. King, but the work that remains to be done.”

“The minimum wage in this town — to raise that,” he said. “To house the homeless. To make sure that young men of color don’t die on the streets in this country. That work remains, but Los Angeles is leading, and I’m really proud to be here today.”

Metro’s entry in the parade was a replica of the bus Rosa Parks was riding in when she was arrested for refusing to give her seat to a white rider in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955.

The entry was intended to highlight transit’s role in the civil rights movement and mark the 60th anniversary of Parks’ arrest and subsequent bus boycott, which became a catalyst of the movement, according to a Metro official.

UCLA’s track and field team was also among the parade’s participants.

“This day and this parade have given me the opportunity to discuss and share some of Dr. King’s messages with our student-athletes,” UCLA director of track and field Mike Maynard said.

Aside from street closures, there were no reports of any troubles stemming from the parade, although police responded early on to a report of an un-permitted drone being flown over the route.

Meanwhile, Inglewood’s 32nd annual commemoration of King’s life and accomplishments featured a commemorative program at Crozier Middle School with speeches from elementary, middle and high school students and elected officials, performances by local choirs and community groups.

A symbolic civil rights march began at the school and made its way to the Forum, where the King Fest 2015 featured live entertainment, arts and crafts projects and food trucks.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day was also marked in Los Angeles County by several service projects, a celebration in Santa Monica and a blood drive.

More than 1,000 volunteers helped paint educational murals and build school gardens at the Santee Education Complex in South Los Angeles.

The fourth annual Roosevelt High School Beautification Day included a campus clean-up, mural painting and cultivating a community garden.

An effort to revitalize the Carmelitos Community Garden in Long Beach was also held as part of the MLK celebrations.

Santa Monica’s 30th annual Martin Luther King Jr. birthday celebration was held at the Soka Gakkai International Auditorium. Its theme is “The Fierce Urgency of Now” and will include inspirational readings and music. Social activist Gabriella Rosco will be the keynote speaker.

A Community Involvement Fair followed at the SGI Youth Center.

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, meanwhile, marked the holiday with a daylong blood drive.

More than 1,000 volunteers organized by the service group City Year descended on Diego Rivera Learning Complex in South Los Angeles for a beautification project, painting 70 murals around the campus.

“Dr. King once said, ‘Everybody can be great … because anybody can serve,”‘ said Mary Jane Stevenson, executive director of City Year Los Angeles. “This day offers us the unique opportunity to reflect on those values by mobilizing volunteers for a day of service in their own community.”

 

Related Posts

Election Day Freebies and Discounts: Where to Eat, Drink, and Watch Election Results

November 4, 2024

November 4, 2024

From Free Doughnuts To Watch Parties, How To Unwind With Election Night Deals With this election day being one of...

Early Morning Call From Community Leads to Burglary Arrest in Culver City

November 4, 2024

November 4, 2024

Police Respond To Suspicious Activity Call, Arrest Suspect With Pickaxe Culver City police arrested a man early Friday morning in...

Culver City Police Department is Prepared to Ensure Community Safety During Election Week

November 4, 2024

November 4, 2024

Enhanced Patrols, Activated Emergency Center Ready, Culver City Voting Center is Open The Culver City Police Department has announced an...

Legendary Music Icon Quincy Jones Dies at 91 in Bel Air

November 4, 2024

November 4, 2024

Celebrated Musician, Producer Leaves an Indelible Legacy By Dolores Quintana Legendary musician, music producer, film and television producer, composer of...

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Lays Off Longtime Archive and Library Staff

November 4, 2024

November 4, 2024

Downsizing and Restructuring Continue, Affecting Employees with Decades of Service By Dolores Quintana Last week, the Academy of Motion Picture...

LA County Opens 526 New Vote Centers for Early Voting, Announces Conditional Voting for Unregistered Residents

November 3, 2024

November 3, 2024

Metro LA Offers Free Rides on Election Day to Help Residents Get to the Polls Los Angeles County opened an...

New Aviation/Century Station Opens, Linking Metro’s C and K Lines

November 3, 2024

November 3, 2024

Metro’s Newest Station Paves the Way for Future LAX Transit Center The new Aviation/Century Station officially opened this week, marking...

H5N1 Detected in LA County Wastewater, Health Officials Urge Precautions for Residents

November 3, 2024

November 3, 2024

Los Angeles County Investigates Low-Level H5 Avian Flu Detected in Wastewater The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is...

Two Events in Culver City This Weekend: Bike Registration and Dance Performance

November 1, 2024

November 1, 2024

Put the Brakes on Bicycle Theft and Enjoy an Evening of Dance and Interactive Art The Culver City Police Department...

All You Need to Know to Attend the Dodgers Victory Parade Tomorrow in DTLA

November 1, 2024

November 1, 2024

World Champions and LA’s Team to Greet Angelenos After Win of NY Yankees The Los Angeles Dodgers announced that their...

Beverly Hills City Government Agrees to a Stipulated Judgment After Blocking Abortion Clinic Opening

November 1, 2024

November 1, 2024

City to Implement Training, Oversight on Reproductive Rights Following Legal Settlement  California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced a legal agreement...

Dia De Los Muertos 2024: Here’s Where To Celebrate The Holiday Tradition This Weekend

October 31, 2024

October 31, 2024

Los Angeles Has a Variety of Ways to Explore Latino Culture and Honor Ancestors Starting just after Halloween, Dia de...

(Video) Downtown L.A. Reacts to World Series Victory

October 31, 2024

October 31, 2024

The Dodgers Are World Series Champs For The Eighth Time https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTFtyDDKn/

Halloween Pre-Game Party Brings Chills and Spooky Thrills to The Rose Venice

October 31, 2024

October 31, 2024

Enjoy Halloween With Festive Cocktails, Appetizers, and a Costume Contest The Rose Venice in Venice is set to host a...

(Video) Something About Her’s First Tea Time Was a Big Hit

October 31, 2024

October 31, 2024

The Next Date is November Third. Beautiful vibes, deciduous food and drink. Don’t miss it. @Something About Her @culvercitywlanews Something...