2018 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration: Lifting the Spirit of Healing & Unity in our Beloved Community
Watch the program live on Monday, January 15 at 11:00am, or click here to watch.
via Community Music School of Springfield:
SPRINGFIELD-Four area organizations will host this year’s Dr. King Day Celebration on Monday,
January 15, 2018 from 11:00am to 1:00pm at MassMutual Center, 1277 Main Street, Springfield. This
event is free and open to the public. This year’s theme “Lifting the Spirit of Healing and Unity” is a
collaborative celebration hosted by Martin Luther King Jr Family Services, Community Music School of
Springfield, D.R.E.A.M Studio and Springfield College.
Music, song and dance performances will provide inspiration and reflection on the legacy of Dr. King
and the continued struggle for social justice in communities across the country. The Dr. King Day
Celebration seeks to bring our community together to work toward the dream Dr. King so eloquently
spoke of over 50 years ago.
“In light of the uncertainties around race relations and the polarization of various groups who continue
to feel marginalized, this celebration reminds us we have the opportunity to engage in simple acts–at
school, at work, and in our families–that strengthen our community in the spirit of unity that defines the
legacy of Dr. King,” said Ronn Johnson CEO of Martin Luther King Jr Family Services. “We must all
speak out against intolerance and be change agents. The MLK Day Celebration inspires us reclaim the
dream of a beloved community.”
This year’s celebration will feature performances by over 700 young people from Springfield including
Sonido Musica/Springfield Public School Partnership programs; the Springfield Community Chorale, a
culturally diverse group of singers with the mission to deliver gospel and inspirational music in the spirit
of unity and in the bond of peace, led by Vanessa Ford; CMSS Martin Luther King Festival Orchestra
led by Marty Knieriem; a dramatic performance by DREAM STUDIO; an oratorical selection by
Michael Denson, (winner of the Alpha Phi Alpha 2017 Annual Senator Edward R. Brooke III Oratorical
Contest) and much more.
The Dr. King Day Celebration is free and open to the public, and all ages are welcome. The Dr. King
Day Celebration is accessible to the hearing impaired and MassMutual Center is handicapped accessible.
MassMutual Center is located in downtown Springfield, close to public transportation. For more
information please contact any of the partnering organization or visit their websites to get more
information and details about the event. #MLKDAY413.
Sponsors include MassMutual Center, Springfield Cultural Council, Westfield State University,
Massachusetts Cultural Council, Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts,the
Republican/MassLive, New England Public Radio, Springfield College and Springfield Technical
Community College
