Rockville’s 50th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration, “MLK50: Past, Present and Future,” will take place Monday, Jan. 17.
The celebration will include a video presentation at 10 a.m. on Rockville 11, channel 11 on county cable, and the city’s YouTube channel, highlighting past Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations and Mayor and Council initiatives to promote equity and inclusion in Rockville.
Harmony’s African-American Legacy Organization will host an interactive virtual event from noon-1:45 p.m. online via Webex. HALO will introduce barbershop songs, engage in racial equity discussions and lead group discussions guided by prompts from King’s book “Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?” Visit www.rockvillemd.gov/mlk to preregister and join live.
The virtual event will include the presentation of the Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Award to a student at a Rockville high school who has worked to fulfill King’s dream, and the F. Michael Taff Award to an individual, organization or business that has helped to improve the lives of people with disabilities.
The city has planned activities, following social distancing guidelines, for a week of service from Jan. 17-23. They are: cleanups of a trail at Croydon Creek Nature Center; a Weed Warrior activity; creating care kits for new immigrants and refugees; a self-guided neighborhood cleanup; making blankets for sick children, scarves for families in need and handmade crafts for children in need; and writing thank-you notes for seniors. Space is limited for these activities.
Find more information, including how to register, and discover other ways to give back to the community, at www.rockvillemd.gov/volunteer.