Last year was a historic Martin Luther King Celebration in Leimert Park. Not only was the Civil Rights leader being honored by many different colors of people in the Soul of Los Angeles and by people all over the world, but the next day the world and the vast majority of Americans would celebrate the next day the inauguration of Barack Obama.


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Every Angeleno should take time to come to 43rd and Degnan on January 18 where the parade ends and see the fiesta that's taking place. It inspired me to create my first movie. I shot it with my digital camera and re-edited it so you can get an idea of the fun.

Get along the route around 10:30 am. The parade starts at Western and King Boulevard and goes east to Crenshaw and south to the Village at Vernon. At the terminus are restaurants, music, speeches, shops and drumming.

The Martin Luther King Kingdom Day Parade has been celebrated for about 25 years and over a million people take to the streets.

ABC7 Eyewitness News anchor Marc Brown is the Grand Marshall, according to Jasmyne Cannick.com. “Clean House” host Neicy Nash will serve as the Celebrity Grand Marshall. Comedian D.L. Hughley, and R&B Singer Johnny Gill will be there too.

"The skyrocketing of cost associated with producing the parade almost made it impossible for the organizers to guarantee that there would be a parade until the assistance of Councilmembers Parks, Wesson, and newly appointed Police Chief Charlie Beck made it a reality," Cannick wrote.

“The LAPD really stepped up this year and worked with us to make sure that we could have this parade,” parade co-chair Celes King IV told Cannick. “Without their assistance, we would not be having a Kingdom Day Parade this year.”

The official Kingdom Day Parade appears to be KingdomdayParadeCore-ca.org but it didn't work when I tried it.

The Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Greater Los Angeles commemorates Dr. King’s birthday with a multi-faith prayer breakfast, business/community mixer, and the 33rd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Dinner gala at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. Honorees include Community Activist Ms. Lillian Mobley, Assembly Speaker Pro Tem Isadore Hall III, and Well Fargo Bank.

The SCLC runs the Rosa Parks Family Counseling and Sexual Assault Center, Hate Crimes Prevention Program, Martin Luther King Dispute Resolution Center, and Beyond the Bell at Foshay Learning Center, explains Reverend Eric Lee, president of SCLC of Greater Los Angeles

Events

Friday, January 8, 2010
Kick-Off/Press Conference
Location: City Hall, First Street Steps
Time: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Saturday, January 9, 2010
LA Inner City Mass Choir
“Share the Dream, Live the Reality” King Celebration
Location: Greater Mt. Carmel Missionary Baptist Church
6001 S. Hoover Street
Los Angeles, CA 90044
Time: Doors open 4 PM
Event: 5 p.m.– 7:30 p.m.
Keynote Speaker: Councilman Bernard Parks
FREE of CHARGE
Contact : Erica (310) 696-3332

Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Women’s Commission on Human Rights Forum
“Jobs & Justice Women on the Move”
Location: Immanuel Presbyterian Church
3300 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90010
RSVP to CSWRsvp@lacity.org or call
Contact: Kellie Hawkins – (213) 978-0300

Thursday, January 14, 2010
Community Reception/Mixer
Location: Crenshaw Live Bar & Grill
3888 Crenshaw Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90008
FREE of CHARGE
Contact: PSP, Inc. – (909) 949-7585

Friday, January 15, 2010
Interfaith Prayer Breakfast
Speaker: Bishop L. Daniel Williams
Featuring: Jeffrey Coprich’s L.A. Inner City Mass Choir
Location: Holman United Methodist Church
3320 W. Adams Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90018
Time: 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Ticket: $35/Person/$50 VIP Seating

Saturday, January 16, 2010
Labor & Community Dialogue
Contact: Lola Smallwood-Cuevas
(213) 480-4155 – Off.
(310) 756-2569 – Cell

Sunday, January 17, 2010
LA Cares Mentoring
Contact: Barbara Perkins
(818) 833-0363 or (818) 571-1097

Monday, January 18, 2010
33rd Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Awards Gala & Fundraiser
“Justice Must Be Universal”
Sheraton Gateway Hotel LAX
6101 Century Blvd. Los Angeles, California 90045
Individual Tickets: $250.00
Contact: PSP, Inc. – (909) 949-7585

For more, contact Personal Services Plus, Inc. Event Management Company at (909) 949-7585 or events@personalservicesplus.com.

This is the longer version of the video.