Prairie Village is once again celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. and his legacy.
For the third year in a row, several partners are coming together to host an I Have A Dream (Vote) Action & Celebration event on Saturday, Jan. 13.
Here’s what people can expect from Prairie Village’s 3rd annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day event — and how to attend or watch.
This year’s focus is voting rights
For the past two years, the I Have A Dream event in Prairie Village focused on affordable housing. This hot button issue — which has been controversial for the last 18 months — proved to be formative in the recent city council election.
In 2024, the central theme of the event is voting.
George Williams, president of event partner Stand Up for Black Lives + Prairie Village, said voting has always been a part of Black history.
Williams said the organizers chose to focus on voting because of the upcoming presidential election and because of “things happening locally.”
“This year we just saw it was really critical, for where we’re at as a nation, to shift that focus to voting,” Williams said.
A poetry reading, choir are also part of the program
- Bernard Franklin, managing director of Uncornered whose family also has a connection to the King family, and U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids are the keynote speakers.
- This year, the James Ward Band is performing at the I Have A Dream (Vote) event.
- The Kansas City Boys & Girls Choir is also performing, Williams said.
- Williams himself is sharing “Black Trauma, Black Triumph,” a poem he wrote about Black history.
Village Presbyterian is hosting the event again
- The event is from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 13 at Village Presbyterian Church 6641 Mission Road.
- Those who wish to watch but don’t want to brave the frigid temperatures expected to hit the metro area can tune in online here.
- Williams said there are no plans to postpone the event due to weather at this time.
