Come together virtually with people of all ages throughout Arlington to celebrate diversity, educational achievement and inclusion for all in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his legacy!
The Celebratory Weekend begins with a Kickoff event, which has traditionally been the Advancing the Dream Banquet.
This event will feature:
- the recognition of the youth art and essay scholarship winners,
- the Collegiate - Spirit of Service scholarship winners,
- the annual unveiling of the USPS Postage Stamp, and the event sponsors,
- the 2021 Community Award nominees and winners,
- a special performances by Ashleigh Smith with a commissioned song to commemorate this year’s celebration, Ellis Elementary Choir, Young Junior High School Rap group, and so much more.
With COVID-19 and other Social justice matters at the forefront of our lives, we feel that our Celebration is one of the major activities that takes place in Arlington that is driven by the sole purpose of Advancing the Dream for all. The major attraction during the kickoff event will be a Conversation led by Dr. Jason Shelton on the work that is currently being conducted by the Arlington Unity Council. Join us for an evening filled with bringing our community together in Unity and Love. CLICK HERE TO THE EVENT ON YOUTUBE.
This year's Step Show has been expanded to include the Drum Lines from Arlington Independent School District marching bands and will feature past performances from winning step teams. The virtual format has also allowed for the inclusion of a history of the tradition of stepping in this exciting, entertaining and educational two hour production! CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE EVENT ON YOUTUBE.
For 2021, this event has become open mic night at a virtual café hosted by Verb Kulture, artist, business owner, poet, actress and writer. The event will feature nationally known poets and a jazz band with an evening reflecting on Dr. King's legacy shared through music and the spoken word. CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE EVENT ON YOUTUBE.
For nearly three decades, this service continues to evoke the memories of two servants of the church. One served as a global leader for justice and peace and the other served his community. In this spirit of cooperation, this service is a shared ecumenical experience for all. The keynote speaker is Dr. Dennis Wiles, senior pastor of the Arlington First Baptist Church. The service will be available virtually and will originate from Lake Arlington Baptist Church.
Where to watch!
On TV AT&T U-verse channel 99 and Spectrum channel 16
Facebook @ArlingtonMLK
YouTube youtube.com/channel/UCYabbSZDw9qs7FOsd3VxvLg
In person at Lake Church, 2912 Little Rd, Arlington, TX 76016. Please wear a mask. Every other row will be blocked off and family units will be asked to sit 6 feet apart. Signage will direct you to the doors to come through on campus.”
Monday, January 18, 2021 - Zeb Strong Jr. MLK Day of Service
Think about a community service project! Don’t forget to use #MLKDAYOFSERVICE on all social media portals (Facebook, Twitter & Instagram) to share pictures of your volunteer endeavors on the Day of Service. Also, include your community/organization’s hashtag if available. We want to determine the group with the largest volunteer participants. The group with highest involvement will be presented a plaque. Click here to learn more!
The Zeb Strong Jr MLK Day of Service event is followed by the MLK Day of Service Festival Virtual Celebration in Downtown Arlington - where we celebrate and pay homage to the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through Music & Arts, Essays, Stories, Performances and more!
This year, our Day of Service Celebration is virtual. Sit back and enjoy the event as we showcase some of the ways our community has adapted their programs and services to help aid in COVID relief efforts across Arlington and DFW, listen to the moving words of this year’s Highschool Essay winner, get lost in the beautiful movement as local dancers perform show stopping numbers, feast your eyes on the one of a kind works from this year's MLK Art Contest Winners and so much more. CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE EVENT ON YOUTUBE.