MLK Celebrations Planned in El Cerrito

EL CERRITO - The Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday is almost here. The City Manager’s office has released details on this year’s celebration.

The El Cerrito community will honor Dr. King, share his message and celebrate his life on Monday, January 18, 2016 with a parade and rally. This year marks the twenty-seventh annual celebration in El Cerrito of the life and work of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “We have one of the longest, continually running celebrations in Northern California, and each year the event grows with participants and recognition!” said Patricia Durham, Event Coordinator.

The events are free and all ages are welcome. Patricia Durham, event coordinator, announced

this year’s program is dedicated to “Black Lives Matter”. The parade and rally focus on education and diversity in our community and about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his work to promote racial equality. Durham quoted, “Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. had the dream so that we have a better life living the dream”.

The event is sponsored by the City of El Cerrito Human Relations Commission, St. Peter Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, the El Cerrito Branch NAACP and the West Contra Costa County Unified School District.

Visit www.el-cerrito.org/mlk for more details or call Event Coordinator Patricia Durham at 510-234-2518. Donations to the City of El Cerrito to support the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration can be made online at www.el-cerrito.org/mlk.

PARADE AND RALLY DETAILS:

All individuals and groups are invited to join the parade on Monday morning. After the parade, there will be a rally including entertainment. The program expected to last 60-90 minutes. All ages are welcome.

Community members who wish to march in the parade should meet at 9:00 a.m. at the City Hall Civic Plaza, 10890 San Pablo Avenue (at Manila Avenue) in El Cerrito CA 94530. Participants may park in the DMV parking lot at 6400 Manila Avenue, El Cerrito, which is across the street from City Hall. The parade will leave City Hall at 9:30 a.m.and proceed along San Pablo Avenue, up Moeser Lane to Ashbury Avenue and arrive at El Cerrito High School by approximately 10:15 a.m..

The rally will begin at 10:30 a.m. inside the Performing Arts Center at El Cerrito High School, 540 Ashbury Avenue, El Cerrito. The Center will open at 10:00 a.m. to the public. The program expected to last 60 to 90 minutes.

The Master of Ceremonies will be Assembly member Tony Thurmond.

The keynote speaker will be Judge Diana Becton. Judge Diana Becton is a Superior Court Judge in Contra Costa County, assigned to the Felony Trial Department. Judge Becton was elected as Presiding Judge for 2011 – 2012, and served as Assistant Presiding Judge 2009 –2010. Judge Becton is a native Californian. She grew up in Oakland, attended Oakland public schools, and graduated from Castlemont High School. In 2015 Judge Becton earned a Masters of Theological Studies at Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California. In May 2014, she was awarded The Certificate of Theological Studies. She obtained her B.A. degree from San Francisco State University, and went to law school at night while raising two young sons and working for the City of Richmond, supervising the Housing Finance Division. She graduated from Golden Gate University Law School in 1985.

Parade and Rally participants include:

• Bay Area Line Dancers
• Oakland Black Cowboy Association
• Students from Fairmont, Harding, and Madera Elementary Schools
• El Cerrito High School Jazz Band
• El Cerrito High School Dance Production
• Girl Scouts and Boy Scout of America
• Bay Area Eastern Stars
• New Direction Ministries
• Students from Tehiyah Day School
• Students from Montessori Family School, El Cerrito and Berkeley
• Japanese American Citizen League
• Ujima #35 Prince Hall Masons
• Singer Tonnie Harvey – Misa Music and Entertainment
• Unitarian Church of Berkeley

FILM SCREENING:

Also this year, in partnership with Rialto Cinemas Cerrito, there will be a free Indie Lens Pop-Up screening of the documentary, “The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution” at 5:00 p.m. at Rialto Cinemas Cerrito, 10070 San Pablo Avenue, El Cerrito CA 94530. The documentary is not rated so viewer discretion is advised. The 75 minute documentary is described as a documentary that weaves together a treasure trove of rare footage with the voices of a diverse group of people who were there to tell the story of a pivotal movement that feels timely all over again.

--Image via WikiMedia