On Monday, the city of Boca Raton organized an event to honor civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. This event was held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and included a community breakfast, unity march, ceremony, and celebration. The commemoration was free and open to the public, including Florida Atlantic University students and staff.

Larry Faerman, FAU’s vice president for Student Affairs, urged students to participate in their community. 

“We have 30,000 students at Florida Atlantic, and I encourage each of them to become involved in causes that they’re passionate about,” he said.

The morning began with a community breakfast at Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church. From there, the Boca Raton Community High School Band and Color Guard led the community in a unity march to the Mizner Park Amphitheater.

“I hope that the city knows that our students are here to support, and we’re all here together just to remember the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King,” said Donald Van Pelt, FAU’s assistant vice president for Student Engagement.

Van Pelt’s emphasis on student involvement is reflected in students like Danitria Melendez, a freshman majoring in health science.

“The true definition of the beginning of diversity, equity, and inclusion is why we continue to celebrate his legacy and the things he (MLK) started,” said Melendez. 

Like Melendez, many take pride in honoring MLK and his efforts for universal justice, remembering how his commitment to nonviolent protest in the 1950s and ‘60s led to significant advancements in civil rights like desegregation. 

Reflecting on MLK’s advocacy, Zito Mario Calderone De Los Reyes Fernandez, an attendee and member of the LGBTQ+ community said, “I believe that he also fought for us, and if it wasn’t for him, I could not be standing here,” he said.

“This is my first time in this march, but this is lovely,” said Charmaine Pryor, an attendee. “We have to fight for injustice, and we can’t forget the struggles that our forefathers fought for in the past.”

Skyler Rayne Rose, a community member, also said this was her first time participating in the Unity March.

“I’ve never actually been to an MLK march before,” she said. “It’s important for us all to stick together and remember that all of our rights are important.”

At the amphitheater, a ceremony took place featuring a keynote speech from Alisha Winn, a cultural anthropologist and professor at Palm Beach Atlantic University.

“King carried out his purpose and finished with the dream for us to continue,” Winn said in her speech, “We remember the past, learn from it, and then move forward to create new paths toward fulfilling the dream.”

In honoring Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy, people play an active role in advancing progress and change across the United States.

“We come here today to not just honor and commemorate his movement, but move forward to try and make it more just and moral,” said Daniel Fried, a participant in the ceremony.

Going forward, Van Pelt encourages people to take this holiday as an opportunity to serve and engage with their communities.

“One of the things that I share with my staff is that it’s a day on, not a day off,” he said. “While we’re off of work, we should continue to celebrate in our communities that we represent, to just continue to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Junior’s legacy.”

Sephora Charles is a Reporter for the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email Charles at sephoracharl2024@fau.edu.