MLK Day celebrated early at Santa Barbara City College
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - "The time is always right to do what is right." That quote from Martin Luther King Junior was the theme of Saturday's MLK Day march at Santa Barbara City College.
Saturday morning supporters crossed the SBCC bridge to honor Martin Luther King Junior Day early. While they marched they sang, "Everywhere I go, I'm going to let it shine," and "We’ve got to train our children in the way they should go."
The supporters' goal was to shine a light on the life of Martin Luther King Junior and continue to spread his dream.
Frances Moore is the co-founder of the Ring Shout Project. She said, “I would like for SBCC to continue this every year so we will not forget what Dr. King gave us: freedom, peace, love, dignity, respect. All of those things came from Dr. King.”
After marching across SBCC's bridge to West Campus the program continued with a Ring Shout dance. There were also community groups to support minorities and minority rights in Santa Barbara.
Jewels Bolden is with the Santa Barbara Young Black Professionals. She said, “In the black community there’s a big stigma around being able to seek help. You know mental health is real. So we need to make sure that our community can get the resources they need and feel comfortable about speaking up about what they’re going through and what help they need.”
Supporters like Moore and Bolden said they are hoping events like today help build more equality amongst mankind.
“It’s a reminder that slavery and Civil Rights and the injustices were not that far off," said Bolden. "And so everyone needs to do their part now today to make sure that we’re moving in a more equal just world.”
“All mans are created equal because we’re all made from one flesh, we’re cut from the same cloth," said Moore.
There will be more MLK events leading up to Monday, which is the federal holiday to remember Martin Luther King Jr. Another march will take place at 10 a.m. on Monday up State Street from de la Guerra Plaza to the Arlington Theatre.
