MARTIN LUTHER KING CELEBRATION IS JAN. 20
Actor Gerald C. Rivers will be the keynote speaker, accompanied by singer Charles Holt, at the birthday celebration for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday, Jan. 20, at the Soka Gakkai International (SGI) Auditorium, 525 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica.
One of the largest and most diverse celebrations of its kind in Southern California, the celebration will begin 9 a.m. It’s sponsored by the Martin Luther King Westside Coalition, a nonprofit group whose missions are consistent with King’s legacy.
It is co-sponsored by Santa Monica College, the City of Santa Monica, the SMC Associates (www.smc.edu/associates), RAND Corporation, CityTV-Santa Monica, and SGI-USA. This year’s theme is “Unity in the Community.”
The multi-ethnic, interfaith program will include inspirational readings, speakers, music, and the MLK Education Awards. A Community Involvement Fair offering refreshments and informational displays by a variety of community organizations will follow the celebration at the SGI Youth Center, 606 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica.
Rivers and Holt have worked together in “Martin & Music,” a stage production, which weaves Dr. King’s words with music and narrative about his life and ideals.
Rivers grew up in Compton, studied theater at Los Angeles City College, and then went on to Morehouse College, is renowned for his portrayals of Dr. King, and is a noted scholar of both the Civil Rights leader’s words and work. A classically trained Shakespearean actor and a member of the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum company, Rivers also does voice-overs for video games and TV commercials and films, as well as a master of the African Djembe drum.
The Center for the Advancement of Non Violence presented Rivers with its 2012 Season for Non Violence Local Hero Award.