By Tait Manning
Howard University News Service
Attendees rallied around messages of unity and equality at the 20th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Walk and Parade, held Saturday morning in the Entertainment and Sports Arena in Congress Heights.
The theme of this year’s celebration was “Commit to the Noble Struggle for Equal Rights.” Participants echoed King’s message through music, dance and signs advocating messages of peace.
Dana Ofus, a first-time attendee and mother of one of the high school marching band performers, acknowledged the educational value of the parade.
“One of the things that I hope, as an educator, is that we’re not just performing but we understand why we’re here,” Ofus said. “We understand what Dr. King did for us, and those conversations are being held, but do we know why we’re marching? My hope is that children can walk away being educated on their purpose of performing today.”
This year marked the first indoor parade, a move intended to shield crowds from inclement weather, according to an announcement released in November by MLK Holiday D.C. Groups marched from MLK Drive Southeast into the arena around the corner on Oak Drive in Ward 8. However, much of the entertainment remained the same, with participating groups taking turns performing on the arena floor.

Some attendees, such as Jaylin Doxey, a student visiting from Merced, California, appreciated the message of the performance.
“I didn’t think of it as different from a regular parade,” Doxey said. “It was still powerful and had a nice message of empowerment to Black students and anyone that is a person of color.”
Others shared similar sentiments. Thomas Beasly, whose grandchildren participated in the parade with their school band, said the event was a chance to celebrate King’s legacy with performance and music.
“It’s good for the culture and gives the kids a way to express themselves and their extracurricular activities,” Beasly said.
Outside of the main event, booths hosted community service organizations and local government agencies lined the stadium. Activities also included a health and wellness fair and a student essay competition.
Sol Michelle was one of the vendors, working with Black Swan Academy, a non-profit organization that empowers and supplies Black youth with the tools to become leaders in their communities.
Michelle said King is an important reference for advocacy organizations and youth activists today.
“Our work in advocacy and organizing really does directly align with Martin Luther King’s practices and values,” she said. “If he hadn’t started taking initiative to advocate for his community and set a tone for what that looks like, we wouldn’t have as many influential Black people that young people could look to.”
Tait Manning is a reporter for HUNewsService.com.
