PRESS RELEASE
Photo courtesy of PR
Los Angeles, CA — Thousands of people from every nationality flooded the streets in Los Angeles at the 33rd Annual Kingdom Day Parade to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. California U.S. Senator Kamala D. Harris the Grand Marshal walked the 2.5-mile parade route with her Coalition which included actors and celebrities representing Times Up movement; Natalie Portman (Star Wars prequel trilogy), Jussie Smollett (FOX’s Empire), Jurnee Smollett-Bell (WGN’s Underground), Mudbound’s director Dee Ress, United Farm Workers, Korean Resource Center, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Jack and Jill of America, Inc. to name a few.
The spirit of diversity embraced the parade and unity was in the air, at the largest and longest running Martin Luther King, Jr. Annual Birthday Celebration in the nation! ABC-7 has broadcasted the entire 2 Hour Kingdom Day Parade Live for over 8 years, it now has a media audience of over 2.4 million viewers and listeners.
In deepest respect for the legacy of Dr. King, the parade featured more than 150 units involving over 3,000 individuals which included; the “Kingdom Day Parade Queen & Her Royal Court”, soulful, elaborate floats, marching bands, high school & middle school drill teams, novelty acts, equestrian units, and an exciting turn out of celebrities and community leaders. Waters,
The day began with a breakfast, sponsored by Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza/Capri Capital Partners, LA Dodgers Alumni & LA Dodgers Foundation, and U.S. Bank, that was attended by the Who’s Who in Los Angeles. Kimberly Goode, SVP, External Affairs, Blue Shield of California who was the presenting sponsor, who introduced, US Congresswoman Maxine Waters that was last year’s Grand Marshal, pasted the torch to U.S. Senator Kamala Harris, as she gave a crowd stirring speech. Other attendees included; Anchor Leslie Sykes, KABC-TV; Steve Zimmer, LAUSD Board President & LAUSD Board Member Dr. George McKenna; LA County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, Derrel Thomas & Dennis Powell representing LA Dodgers Alumni & LA Dodgers Foundation, Darrell Brown, Sr. VP, U.S. Bank, Bennett J. Johnson, III, Sr. VP, Capri Capital Partner/Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza and countless others.
Dr. Adrian Dove, President and CEO, Kingdom Day Parade, said, “We are proud this year to give special honors to four great Californians: Delores Huerta, VP United Farm Workers, that changed the face of organized labor in America; David Eads and Ed Corey at the helm of the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Game; and Barbara Morrison, legendary founder of the Blues & Jazz Museum with its Harmony Foundation”.
This year, 2018 would have been Dr. King’s 89th birthday and is also the 50th Anniversary of his untimely Homegoing. Although he never reached the age of 40, his legacy will live forever. This years’ theme, borrowed from First Lady Michelle Obama is: “When They Go Low, We Go High”.
