Carlsbad Celebrates the Life and Accomplishments of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

By Michele Robertson

In 1983, 15 years after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., President Ronald Reagan signed a bill that reserved the third Monday of January to celebrate the life and accomplishments of Dr. King. It was first celebrated federally in 1986, and by the year 2000, all 50 states had recognized the holiday.

For over 38 years, Carlsbad’s Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Committee has celebrated Dr. King’s birthday, which is January 15.

“Every year, Carlsbad’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Committee coordinates an exciting three-day celebration that includes a scholarship fundraiser banquet, a church observance, and the annual Unity March,” said Dr. Joy James-Foster, President of the Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Committee. Foster has been involved with the committee since 2018.

This year’s annual fundraiser banquet will take place at 6 p.m. Friday, January 17, at the Pecos River Village Carousel House. The keynote speaker will be David Gibson, Deputy Labs Director and Chief Operating Officer for Sandia National Labs. Tickets are $35 per person or $280 for a table of eight. Proceeds go toward the MLK scholarship effort.

The church observance will be at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, January 19, at New Song Christian Fellowship, 1105 N Pate St, with a community choir on the program. On Monday, January 20, there will be a march to and activities at the MLK park, 203 Plaza Street. Breakfast and line-up for the march will begin at 10 a.m. on the Eddy County Courthouse lawn. Festivities will conclude with guest speaker Donald Hampton.

“My favorite part of the event is the Unity March because our sole purpose for coming together in celebration is due to the work Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. dedicated his life to. Regardless of whatever our religion or beliefs, whatever our skin color, whatever our nationality, the Unity March embodies our celebration of Dr. King. The relationships we create or renew during this celebration knit together the very fabric of unity for our beloved community of Carlsbad,” Foster said.

Lisa Chappa, a teacher with the Carlsbad Municipal Schools, said, “The MLK March and celebration was the first local event we did as a family when we moved to Carlsbad 13 years ago. Our kids were in kindergarten and third grade, and we were able to participate as a family. It was always important to me that my children understand the importance of MLK and all he stood for and stands for to this day. It’s a time to celebrate accomplishments in the journey toward equality and acknowledge how much more work needs to be done.

“Over the years, the kids have gone every year and participated through Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and their elementary school. The CHS strut is a regular and makes the march almost festive. Sometimes, I got to help organize a group from Ocotillo elementary school, and some years, we even won the traveling trophy for having the most participation.

“Every year, I see people I don’t always see throughout the year and love knowing we have the connection of knowing that we share common goals. It’s a great family event with a purpose,” Chappa added.

“Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. promoted equality with an understanding that once we put our prejudices aside, we as a community are unified. Although we continue to face uncertainty and challenges in our society, my hope is that the Unity March will serve as an example of people coming together on one accord to reflect on how far we have come despite our differences, to celebrate our accomplishments, to honor our identities, and to remember that our greatest opportunities are when we work together in unity,” Foster said.

The quote from Martin Luther King Jr. that inspires Foster the most is, “The ultimate measure of a person is not where they stand in moments of comfort and convenience, but where they stand at times of challenge and controversy.”

“We are stronger together rather than divided. The Unity March reminds us that, through his work, he brought millions of people hope for a better tomorrow and, in doing so, challenged the moral compass. We in the Carlsbad community continue that hope through marching together in the spirit of unity that Dr. King envisioned,” Foster said.

For more information on these events, visit the Carlsbad Community Foundation website at https://carlsbadfoundation.org/mlk/