Contra Costa MLK commemoration event will honor adult and student humanitarians
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (Jan. 13, 2022) – In 2022, fifty-four years will have passed since the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. His spirit of hope, peace, and resilience serve as the backdrop to Contra Costa County’s 44th Annual Commemoration of Dr. King’slife and legacy. The Board of Supervisors welcomes the public to watch a virtual community celebration on Tuesday, January 18, 2022, at 11 am. The event’s theme is “One People, One Nation, One Dream.”
“Contra Costa County invites the public to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and help us honor a Humanitarian and Student Humanitarian of the Year. These honorees serve the residents of Contra Costa with dedication and heart. On this MLK Day, let us all re-dedicate ourselves to continuing Dr. King’s work towards love, liberation, and justice,” said Board Chair Supervisor Karen Mitchoff.
The celebration will feature keynote speaker, former San Ramon Mayor H. Abram Wilson, who was the City of San Ramon’s first elected African American mayor. This year’s program will also feature special guest Tony Thurmond, California State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and a Richmond resident.
Humanitarian of the Year
Humanitarian of the Year honorees will be recognized at the ceremony for their leadership, advocacy, and service to Contra Costa County, its residents, and communities in the spirit of Dr. King’s work and achievements. Countywide recognition will be given to the Adult Humanitarian of the Year, Gigi Crowder, who is Executive Director of National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Contra Costa and an Antioch resident, and the Student Humanitarian of the Year, Kaia Morgan, a senior at Ygnacio Valley High School in Concord and a Pittsburg resident.
The celebration will also include dances from Grown Women Dance Collective, a group comprised of retired dancers from world renowned companies, including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Cleo Parker Robinson, and Dance Theatre of Harlem, and a Spoken Word performance from the Contra Costa School of Performing Arts.
The community can watch the event online at www.contracosta.ca.gov/6086 or www.contracostatv.org. The ceremony will also broadcast live on ContraCosta Television (CCTV) channels Comcast Cable 27, ATT/U-Verse 99, and WAVE32. To learn more about the MLK Ceremony, visit www.contracosta.ca.gov/5307 on the Contra Costa County website.