Culver City’s 12th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration event will take place on Saturday, January 14, at 11 am at the Culver City Senior Center, 4095 Overland Avenue in Culver City.
“I’m looking forward to this celebration in honor of Dr. King and in recognition of his contributions and accomplishments as a Civil Rights leader. I want to thank the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Committee, for its outstanding efforts in planning this special day,” said Culver City Mayor Jim B. Clarke.
The event, which features the film, “King: A Man of Peace in a Time of War”, is centered on the theme, “Peaceful Warriors for Positive Change”. Other activities during Culver City's King Day celebration include an interfaith conversation with local religious leaders from the Culver City Interfaith Alliance; a community forum following the film moderated by the former Committee Chair, Wayne Slappy; a spoken word performance by the Culver City High School Black Student Union; speeches given by students from the Culver City Afterschool Recreation Program; a dramatic rendition of Dr. King's "I have a Dream Speech", by actor Gerald C. Rivers; and a special performance by Ocean Charter School’s 7th and 8th graders, playing authentic djembe drums from West Africa as a tribute to Dr. King.
The featured film “King: A Man of Peace in a Time of War” gives the audience a look at rare, archival footage of Dr. King. The film has exclusive interviews with such notable people as Reverend Jesse Jackson (who marched alongside Dr. King); retired General and former Secretary of State, Colin Powell (who reflects on how far the civil rights movement has come); journalist Howard K. Smith (who introduced Dr. King to Richard Nixon); and others, including Congressman Charles Rangel, Quincy Jones, Hugh Hefner, Laurence Fishburne, and Malcolm X (who provides controversial commentary).
Actor Gerald C. Rivers considers it an honor and a privilege to bring to life the words of the late great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Mr. Rivers is a talented actor, voiceover artist, teacher, and inspirational keynote speaker. In 2011, he was invited to perform in Washington D.C. to speak the words of Dr. King for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial dedication celebrations. In 2012, the Center for the Advancement of Nonviolence recognized Mr. Rivers’ work, when it bestowed upon him its Season for Nonviolence Local Hero Award.
For more information on Culver City's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration, please call Ms. Arames White-Shearin, Recreation Coordinator, (310) 253-6675 or visit http://www.culvercity.org.
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