Praising the Dream

By Cynthia Gibson

Contributing Writer

CRENSHAW — Thousands of people lined Crenshaw Boulevard Jan. 19 to celebrate the life and legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. at the 41st Martin Luther King Day Parade.

Comedian and actor Cedric the Entertainer served as the parade’s grand marshal. The event featured colorful floats, marching bands, faith-based and community organizations, and local and national leaders.

Cedric, who currently stars in the CBS comedy “The Neighborhood,” was joined by his co-stars Max Greenfield and Marcel Spears.

Los Angeles resident Shirley Webb arrived early to secure a prime viewing spot. Webb has attended the parade for more than 20 years and said she returns annually out of respect for King.

“I love Dr. Martin Luther King and what he stood for,” Webb said. “The parade brings the people together — all people. I like that.”

People of all races and beliefs attended the parade to honor King, commemorate his legacy of nonviolence and affirm their commitment to equality.

Isel Cuapio, 30, a self-described socialist, has attended the parade for several years and said she is deeply inspired by King’s teachings.

“Everything that he pretty much preached, I strongly believe in,” Cuapio said. “I believe that all our struggles are interconnected. The fight for Black liberation means the fight for liberation for all of us.

“We live in California, the United States — the belly of the beast — and liberation for the world really starts with us.”

Juan Rey, 64, a Baldwin Village resident, has attended the parade regularly for more than a decade. In addition to honoring King, Rey said he values the opportunity to reconnect with neighbors.

“I don’t particularly care for all the politicians, the police, or the military that come through here,” Rey said. “But it’s also a place to talk to people. A lot of residents have moved away, but they still come back. They see this as their neighborhood, even if they live far away.

“I just talked to people from New Jersey — it’s always interesting to come out here and connect.”

For William Marshall, who is originally from Atlanta, this was his first King Day parade in Los Angeles. Marshall has attended King Day parades in nine states and has served on three organizing committees for King marches.

“I was 7 years old when Dr. King was killed,” Marshall said. “I’m just loving being out here with the new generation.”

Nearly six decades after King’s assassination, some attendees said the civil rights he fought and died for remain unfulfilled.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who marched in the parade alongside former Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, reflected on how King might view the current state of civil rights.

“I think he would smile because we are united,” Bass said, “but I think that he would cry at the state of our democracy. As our country approaches its 250th anniversary, we actually have to protect ourselves from the federal government. During the civil rights movement, it was the federal government that protected the people.”

Shirley Webb and Brent Lewis echoed the mayor’s sentiments.

“I think he would not be satisfied. We’re going backwards,” Webb said. “Even though we had Barack Obama, which was unbelievable, I just think we’re moving backward right now.”

Lewis came directly to the parade after completing a night shift to show his support for King and the community.

“We’re going in the right direction, and then somehow we take two steps back,” Lewis said. “For various reasons, these things happen. Whatever we solve, there are always more battles ahead. It’s a lifetime struggle.”

Juan Rey said that if King were alive today, he would be angry.

“I think King would still be organizing,” Rey said. “I think he would be really, really angry because there is still poverty and rampant homelessness. It’s been decades, and they still can’t figure it out.

“One of the richest countries in the world, and they can’t solve homelessness,” he added. “I don’t think he’d be able to sleep at night. He’d be out on the streets.”

Following the parade, Los Angeles City Council members Marqueece Harris-Dawson (District 8),

Curren Price (District 9), and Heather Hutt (District 10) hosted the MLK Freedom Festival in Leimert Park Village.

The festival featured live music performances by Grammy Award–winning producers the Avila Brothers, along with a community resource fair, local vendors, food trucks, and family-friendly activities.

Hutt said King Day provided an opportunity to acknowledge the past while looking toward to the future.

“2025 has been a challenging time,” Hutt said. “We’re celebrating the new year while honoring both our past and our future. We want to show that we can come together peacefully, celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., reflect on our history, and still focus on what’s ahead.”

Martin Luther King Jr. Day, observed on the third Monday in January, was established as a federal holiday in 1986 under President Ronald Reagan. In 1994, President Bill Clinton signed legislation designating the holiday as a national day of service. King was born Jan. 15, 1929, and was assassinated on April 4, 1968, at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. He was 39 years old. This year marked the 97th anniversary of his birth.

Founded in 1985, the Kingdom Day Parade is the nation’s largest and longest-running celebration honoring the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. In late 2025, Bakewell Media assumed management

of the parade and rebranded it as the Los Angeles Official Martin Luther King Day Parade.

The transition followed the retirement of longtime Chairman and CEO Adrian Dove, 90, a colleague of King who led the parade for 14 years.

Cynthia Gibson is a freelance reporter for Wave Newspapers. She can be reached at ckgcommunications@gmail.com.