NAACP Santa Cruz County Branch President Elaine Johnson (center) leads the half-mile march down Pacific Avenue in Santa Cruz. The march commemorated the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. who gave his “I Have a Dream Speech” at the March on Washington almost 60 years ago. (PK Hattis – Santa Cruz Sentinel)
By Aric Sleeper | asleeper@santacruzsentinel.com
PUBLISHED: January 2, 2024 at 4:00 p.m. | UPDATED: January 2, 2024 at 4:01 p.m.
SANTA CRUZ — The Santa Cruz County Branch of the NAACP announced events planned later this month to honor and celebrate the life and legacy of iconic civil rights activist the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The celebration begins with a Youth Day event Jan. 13 and a MLK March for the Dream and commemorative event Jan. 15 on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The Santa Cruz County NAACP invites all organizations and people who support the dream of King to march in downtown Santa Cruz on what would have been the civil rights icon’s 95th birthday.
The Youth Day event will celebrate the legacy of Dr. King, who was passionate about developing the next generation of leaders, with an afternoon of activities for kids of all ages that emphasize youth empowerment, and will include interactive booths and tabling from local youth groups, food, music, dancing and art activities.
The event is free to attend and is meant to serve as an opportunity for student leaders and organizations from local schools to inform the community about their missions and accomplishments in regard to student activism.
The “March for the Dream” event will begin at Pacific Avenue and Cathcart Street at 10 a.m. Jan. 15. March participants will make their way through downtown Santa Cruz and will end the commemorative walk from 11 a.m. to noon at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium where a speaking event will be held.
Speakers at the auditorium will include NAACP Santa Cruz County Branch President Elaine Johnson, Sen. John Laird, First Vice President of NAACP Monterey County Vanessa Lopez-Littleton and Temple Beth El’s Rabbi Paula Marcus. Volunteers are needed for the event.
Supporting the march are local organizations such as Temple Beth El Jewish Community Center, the Resource Center for Nonviolence, Bookshop Santa Cruz, Treehouse Foundation, the Santa Cruz County Democratic Central Committee and the Santa Cruz County Office of Education.
Last year’s March for the Dream event was postponed due to the succession of winter storms last January, but was attended in February last year by hundreds that marched down Pacific Avenue last February to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr., whose “I Have a Dream” speech was delivered just more than 60 years ago.
For information about the Youth Day event, contact Amanda Harris Altice with the Resource Center for Nonviolence at amanda@rcnv.org.
For those interested in volunteering, sponsoring or having a group participate for the 2024 March for the Dream event, visit naacpsantacruz.com.
If you go…
What: “Youth Day”
When: Noon to 3 p.m. Jan. 13.
Where: Resource Center for Nonviolence, 612 Ocean St., Santa Cruz.
Cost: Free.
What: MLK March for the Dream and Commemorative Event
When: 10 a.m. to noon. Jan. 15.
Where: Begins at Pacific Avenue and Cathcart Street.
Cost: Free.