Washingtoner - Tacoma: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Next Week!

Trending...

~ Tacoma, WA- The City of Tacoma's Events and Recognitions Committee (CERC) is proud to present the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration on Monday, January 19, 2026. The event will take place at the Greater Tacoma Convention Center located at 1500 Commerce St. in downtown Tacoma. The doors will open at 11 a.m. for a Community Outreach Fair, followed by the main celebration program at 1 p.m.

The program will be hosted by local humanitarian and community advocate Kwabi Amoah-Forson. Mayor Anders Ibsen will deliver opening remarks and Former Mayor of the City of Tacoma, Victoria Woodards, will give a keynote address. Attendees can also look forward to performances by the Tracie L. Davis Celebration Choir, Aria Jones, Kayla Lindquist, Fearless Dance Team, Philip "Sharp Skills" Jacobs, Tacoma Poet Laureate Mari Griffin, and participation from Stadium High School Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC). The program will also include community voices and the presentation of the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service Awards.

More on Washingtoner

This year's recipients of the awards are Uncle Boy Chun Fook who will receive the 2026 Lifetime Service Award and F. Jerome "JD" Davis who will be honored with the Emerging Leader Award for their outstanding contributions to community service and leadership.

Before the main program begins at 1 p.m., community members are invited to attend the Community Outreach Fair starting at 11 a.m. in the lobby of the Greater Tacoma Convention Center. This fair provides an opportunity for local organizations to share resources, showcase their missions, and connect directly with attendees.

The theme for this year's celebration is "Community in Service: A Path to Action," which highlights how individuals and organizations come together to serve and uplift their community.

"CERC is honored to celebrate individuals who strengthen our community through service," said Cydney Stephens, CERC Sub-Committee Chair. "This year's theme reminds us that every act of care, no matter how big or small, moves Tacoma forward. Together, we can continue building a connected and compassionate community, turning Dr. King's legacy into daily action."

More on Washingtoner

In line with the theme of service, the event will also shine a spotlight on Operation Warm Soles, a community initiative led by emcee Kwabi Amoah-Forson. This initiative provides warm socks, shoes, and blankets to unhoused individuals in Tacoma and Seattle. Donations of new socks, shoes, and blankets will be collected at the event starting at 11 a.m. Donations are also accepted at the Greater Tacoma Convention Center until Thursday, January 15 during business hours as well as at events held at the Tacoma Dome and Convention Center. More information on donation opportunities can be found online.

For those unable to attend in person, the celebration will be broadcasted on TV Tacoma. To ensure accessibility for all attendees, live closed captioning will be available in English, Spanish, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Vietnamese, Ukrainian, Russian, Khmer and Filipino. There will also be an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter present during the program.

The City's Events and Recognitions Committee is responsible for organizing and producing the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration including selecting award recipients. The celebration is open to the public and parking is free. For more information about the event including details on accessibility or to contact organizers directly please visit tacomavenues.org/mlk-celebration or email communityevents@tacomavenues.org.

Filed Under: Government, City

0 Comments

Latest on Washingtoner

_catLbl0 _catLbl1