The King Center’s annual Beloved Community Awards on Saturday, Jan. 18 commenced a holiday weekend of remembrance and service in honor of the Reverand Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The awards banquet took place at the Omni Hotel in downtown Atlanta. Honorees and attendees included Jasmine Guy of “A Different World” fame, singers Trina Braxton and Dottie Peoples, radio personality Gary With the Tea, and honoree Jenifer Lewis, who has starred in a succession of classic films and TV shows such as “black-ish,” Think Like a Man, Sister Act, Meet the Browns, and Tyler Perry’s Family Reunion.
MLK, born and raised in Atlanta, was the leader and most recognized figure in the historic Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 60s. His childhood home on Auburn Avenue is a block away from The Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Park.
“With everything that’s happening in the world today, this is a night that shines a light on the best of us,” said Dr. Bernice King, CEO of the King Center and daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King.
The King Center announced that its strategic theme for 2025 is “Mission Possible: Protecting Freedom, Justice, and Democracy in the Spirit of Nonviolence365.
“This theme defines the 2025 King Holiday Observance events and programming while serving as a compass for all the work we will do this upcoming calendar year and beyond,” said King.
“The pioneering work of Dr. King demonstrated that Nonviolence is the sustainable solution to injustice and violence in our world, ultimately leading to the creation of the Beloved Community, where injustice ceases, and love prevails.”
