Members of the community gathered at the UT-Arlington Bluebonnet Ballroom to commemorate Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. during Friday's "Advancing the Dream" Awards Banquet. .
The 26th annual banquet kicked off the second day of the five-day Martin Luther King Jr, Celebration in Arlington.
The night included musical performances from the UT-Arlington Jazz Ensemble, a postal unveiling, dance performances, student art and essay scholarship presentations and community awards.
Keynote speaker Sen. Royce West challenged the crowd to ponder on some of the issues King focused on.
"So, it appears that where we once struggled to emerge from a time where educational opportunities were closed, we're now in a struggle to keep our young men inside the doors that have frankly been open to us," West said about the state of education among young African American males in the U.S.
The banquet not only gave attendees an opportunity to celebrate King's significance, but allowed them to take part in a dialogue that advances King's dream.
"We got a chance to really talk to each other about something really important, which is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy and how we can continue to live in his dream, but make that come true and continue to move forward in our own lives," said Elizabeth Dinh, event emcee and KTVT CBS 11 reporter. "I felt inspired and motivated that this feeling goes beyond tonight's banquet."
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