The Martin Luther King, Jr. Committee of Ventura County is pleased to announce that its 35th annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Day observance and birthday celebration, will be held on Monday, January 18, starting at 10 a.m. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday, which celebrates King’s birthday, honors his legacy, and lifts up civil rights.
This is a free all-virtual, online event that will be broadcast via multiple online platforms, including Zoom, Facebook Live, and YouTube. The program will be rebroadcast at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center, 800 Hobson Way, Oxnard, on January 18, at 4:30 p.m., where it may be viewed with safe social distancing from parked cars.
This year’s event theme, “Lives end when we are silent…Get in trouble, good trouble.” incorporates an homage to the late civil rights hero John Lewis, who was a close associate of Dr. King and made famous the words “Get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and redeem the soul of America.”
The keynote speaker will be Tamika Jean-Baptiste, AMGEN Executive Director of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging. Mrs. Jean-Baptiste has over 25 years in the biopharmaceutical field and has worked for Amgen for over 19 years, serving in the capacities of Director of Sales, Key Account Manager, and District Sales Manager. She received a Bachelor of Science degree from Arkansas State University and a Global Executive MBA from TRIUM (NYU, London School of Economics, HEC Paris). Throughout her career, Tamika has been a champion for diversity and a mentor to others to find their authentic voice and professional purpose.
The event will include brief comments from elected officials, spiritual music, and a virtual Freedom March, as well as the winning speech from the annual Alpha Kappa Alpha Youth Speech Expo.
The Committee still has an online presence through its website and social media. The website address is http://www.mlkventuracounty.com. The Committee is also on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/mlkofventuracounty, and on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/MLKventura.
From its inception in 1986, the Ventura County MLK observance program has spotlighted the positive achievements and accomplishments of the youth of our community. In previous years, the Monday program has drawn hundreds of people from throughout Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties.
It was necessary to cancel the program only once, on January 17, 1994, due to an earthquake.
As in previous years, this year’s program promises to be an inspirational, informative, and enjoyable experience. We invite everyone to be a part of the activities and celebration of Rev. Dr. King’s life and legacy, by logging on for our first all-virtual event.
