The annual MLK Living the Dream series is set to start next week, just ahead of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which is Jan. 19.
The series has been held each year since 2019, and it’s meant to draw attention to King’s legacy beyond the one-day holiday. It’s sponsored by Pittsford CommUNITY, a nonprofit that promotes inclusion and belonging in Pittsford.
All events take place at United Church of Pittsford on South Main Street.
The series kicks off from 7-9 p.m. on Jan. 14. with the Mobile Museum of Tolerance. It features interactive exhibits on civil rights, human dignity, and the dangers of hate. And it includes stories from history meant to challenge audiences to stand up for justice.
From 7-9 p.m. Jan. 21, there will be spoken word performance and community poetry slam. Shanterra Mitchum, program director at the Center for Teen Empowerment, will perform work inspired by King and there will be “an open platform for community members of all ages to use their artistry and voices to encourage, to heal, and to connect,” according to organizers.
The series concludes with an interfaith family service at the church, which is led by the Rev. Julius “JD” Jackson. The service is inspired by King’s interfaith advocacy and action, according to organizers, and members from several congregations will come together for “music, words, and inspiration. The Rev. Dr. Keto March, pastor of Aenon Baptist Church, will deliver a keynote and the Aenon Choir will perform.
The Greater Rocester Martin Luther King Jr. Commission is also holding its annual community-wide celebration of King and his legacy. That takes place at 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 19 at the Eastman School of Music’s Kodak Hall on Gibbs Street. The Rev. Courtney Clayton Jenkins of South Euclid United Church of Christ in South Euclid, Ohio, is scheduled to give the keynote.
