Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Initiative

For questions or more information, please contact Ronda Robinson at Ronda.Robinson@ocfl.net.

Events in 2024

Orange County Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Initiative - Calendar of Events 2024 (PDF)

Events in 2023

January 2023

Date	Event
January 10	Orange County MLK Proclamation Presentation (County Commission)
Contest Extended to March 8th	First OC MLK Initiative Art Contest
January 13 11 a.m.	Annual MLK Commemorative Luncheon (Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated)
January 14 10 a.m.	Orlando Jaycees Annual Parade
January 14 2 p.m.	Annual City of Eatonville Parade
January 16 7:30 a.m.	Annual Pappy Kennedy Breakfast
January 16 10 a.m.	Annual City of Ocoee Parade
January 16 2 p.m.	Annual City of Apopka Parade
January 16 10 a.m.	Annual City of Winter Garden Parade
January 23 - 27	OC Mayor’s Book Club Phase 2 Launch w/OC Public Library (Aligned w/Florida Literacy Week)
January 24	Orange County Black History Month Proclamation - Black History Committee of Orange County
January 26 - 29 (Tentative Dates)	Annual Zora Neale Hurston Festival
January 28 10 a.m.	MLK Day of Service Clean Up w/ Representative A. Eskamani
	Candid Conversations with Our Community \| The Life-Long Impacts of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
	Rollins College Annual Week of Service

February 2023

Date	Event
February 1 - 28	Orange County Arts in the Chambers
February 3	Orange County MLK Initiative African American Renaissance Series - Part 1 Registration Page
February 24	Black History Committee of Orange County "Lunch on the Lawn"

February 2023 — Orange County Regional History Center Events

Date	Event
February 4	First Saturdays History Alive! – Theme: Celebrating Community
February 10	Home School Day: A Culture in Motion: The Harlem Renaissance
February 16	Book Club: Their Eyes Were Watching God – Zora Neale Hurston
February 18	Black History Month Family Event w/OC MLK Initiative
February 26	Brechner Series (In honor of the late Joseph L. Brechner)
February 7 - 21	Orange County Public Library - Annual AA Read In
February 5	Annual Dragon Parade Festivities (Lunar New Year)
Week of February 20	OC MLK Initiative Four Phases of Dr. King Part 2 (Tentative)

March 2023

Date	Event
March 2	Read Across America Project
March 9 & March 11	Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity – Southern Region Convention Activities & Events Heart of Gold Blood Drives Graduate School and Career Resource Fair Focus HBCU Fair XFL Game Day Experience Alpha South Orlando Magic Game Day Experience
March 11 & March 12	Orange County MLK AA Renaissance Series - Part 2

April 2023

Date	Event
	A Tribute to Dr. King: In Commemoration *MLK Art Contest Winners Announced*
Part 3 - TBD	OC MLK AA Renaissance - "Greek Day on the County Lawn"

May 2023

Date	Event
Week of May 10	Annual Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
May 11	Orange County MLK AA Renaissance Series - Part 4 (Tentative)
Week of May 19	Haitian Heritage Month Celebration (5/18/2023 at 6 p.m.) Location: 2100 S Hiawassee Road, Orlando, FL 32835 Registration Page & Complete Details
Week of May 22	Asian Cultural Festival

June 2023

Date	Event
June 6 Board Meeting	Orange County Juneteenth Proclamation Presentation (County Commission)
Week of June 12th	Annual OC MLK Initiative Juneteenth Celebration / Orange County MLK AA Renaissance Series - Part 5
June 4 - June 12 (Tentative Dates)	OnePulse Foundation – Pulse Anniversary Remembrance Week

July 2023

Date	Event
	MLK Monthly Membership Community Engagement Project
	Additional Activities – TBD

August 2023

Date	Event
	MLK Monthly Membership Community Engagement Project
	Back to School Project or Collaboration – (Tentative)
	Additional Activities – TBD

September 2023

Date	Event
TBD	African Leadership Council Event – African Heritage Month
September 15 - October 15	Hispanic Heritage Month
	MLK Monthly Membership Community Engagement Project
	Additional Activities – TBD

October 2023

Date	Event
	MLK Monthly Membership Community Engagement Project
	Additional Activities – TBD

November 2023

Date	Event
	MLK Monthly Membership Community Engagement Project
November 25 & 26	FusionFest

December 2023

Date	Event
	MLK Monthly Membership Community Engagement Project
	Additional Activities – TBD

Events in 2022

All 2022 Events

Date	Event
January 2022 – February 2022	Orange County African American Employee Network Eddie Engram Essay Contest
Thursday, January 13, 2022	January 13, 2022 @ 7:00 p.m. - Delta Xi Lambda Alpha Phi Alpha, Fraternity Incorporated - Leadership Forum Virtual Event
Thursday, January 14, 2022	January 14, 2022 @ 7:00 p.m. Fierce Entertainment Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Virtual Celebration
Saturday, January 15, 2022	Annual Orlando Jaycees Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Showcase Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center – Front Yard Venue @ 11:00 a.m. Orange TV \| Airing of Past Downtown Orlando Jaycees Annual MLK Parades (2019 & 2020) Orange TV \| Airing on Saturday, January 15, 2022 – “Community of Hope” MLK Commemoration Tribute Video (2021) Annual Town of Eatonville MLK Parade @ 2:00 p.m.
Monday, January 17, 2022	Annual Arthur “Pappy” Kennedy Breakfast @ 7:30 a.m. – Livestream begins at 8:00 a.m. Annual Winter Garden MLK Parade @ 10:00 a.m. Annual Apopka MLK Parade @ 2:00 p.m. (Facebook Link) Chasing the Dream 5K - MLK Day Celebration (Registration Link) I Have a Dream 1M 5K 10K 13.1 26.2 - Participate from Home! City of Oviedo Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration
January 16 – 21, 2022	Rollins College Center for Inclusion and Campus Involvement Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Week 2022
January 16 – 22, 2022	“Week of Action” in partnership with Heart of Florida United Way
January 21 – February 6, 2022	The Mountaintop
Wednesday, January 26, 2022	“Candid Conversations: The Kaleidoscope Table Talk Series” (Part I) w/Rollins College Black Student Union (Virtual) Time: 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
January 27 – 30, 2022	Annual Zora Neale Hurston Festival 2022
January 13 – 27, 2022	Orlando Mayor’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission Events
Saturday, January 29, 2022	Lake Nona Lunar New Year by Lake Nona Social Saturday, January 29^th, 12PM to 4PM Nona Adventure Park – 14086 Centerline Dr, Orlando, FL 32827 Admission: $8.00 / person or $24 for party of four www.lunarlakenona.com
February 1 – 28, 2022	“Art in the Chambers” – Hosted by the Black History Committee of Orange County, Florida
February 1 – 28, 2022	WUCF Celebrates Black History Month
February 3 – 28, 2022	Town of Oakland \| Honoring Black History Art and Heritage Exhibition
February 8, 2022	Black History Committee of Orange County – Presentation of Annual Proclamation to Board of County Commission in recognition of Black History Month
February 7 – 21, 2022	Orange County Library System African-American Read In 2022
February 9 – 24, 2022	City of Orlando – Commissioner Bakari Burns District 6 - Black History Month Activities
February 9, 16, 23, and March 2, 2022	“Four Phases of Dr. King” – Black History Month Virtual Series – Hosted by the Orange County Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Initiative – To air on Orange TV and County social media forums each Friday in the month of February to provide “historical nuggets” about Dr. King’s life through each captured decade Featured Guest Speakers: Russell Drake, Dr. Roneisha Randall, Contona Thomas, Dr. Earl Mowatt
February 24, 2022	Diversitastic! Dining Experience: South Africa at the Bronze Kingdom (Link to Get Tickets)
February 25, 2022	“Black History Lunch on the Lawn” – Hosted by the Black History Committee or Orange County, Florida @ 11:00 a.m.
June 16, 2022	Juneteenth Celebration on the Lawn Orange County Administration Building 6-8 p.m. Live entertainment, local art, food trucks and family friendly giveaway (Flyer Image)
Additional MLK Local Events	Central Florida MLK Activities & Events to Consider

Events in 2021

January 2021

Date	Event
Jan. 9, 2021	Orange County Regional History Yesterday This Was Home: Coffee with a Curator
Jan. 15, 2021 8 a.m.	MLK Pre-Day of Service Second Harvest 3401 Mercy Star Rd., Orlando, FL 32808
Jan. 15, 2021 7:30 p.m.	Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center Let Freedom Ring: Jazz & the Civil Rights Movement
Jan. 16, 2021 10 a.m.	Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center 2021 MLK Holiday Parade Showcase
Jan. 17, 2021 3 p.m.	Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center Virtual Interfaith Service: Love & Power
Jan. 18, 2021 10 a.m.	MLK Day of Service Holocaust Center of Florida Social Justice Exhibit 815 North Maitland Avenue, Maitland, FL 32751
Jan. 18, 2021 2 p.m.	Annual Apopka MLK Parade
Jan. 17 - 23, 2021	Rollins College: The Urgency of Now Events
Jan. 25 - 29, 2021	Read Across the County/Florida Literacy Week

For questions or more information, please contact Ronda Robinson at Ronda.Robinson@ocfl.net.

February 2021

Date	Event
Feb. 2021	Orlando Magic Events Walk With Us Town Hall Series
Feb. 2021	Orange County Regional History Yesterday This Was Home: Family Days: Growing a Better Tomorrow
Feb. 5, 2021 12 p.m.	Orange County Regional History Lunch & Learn: Collecting and Preserving the Black Lives Matter Movement
Feb. 6, 2021 10 a.m.	Orange County Regional History Family Day: Growing a Better Tomorrow
Feb. 11, 2021 6 p.m.	Orange County Regional History Yesterday This Was Home: Celebrating Black Culture: Music, Storytelling, and Poetry
Feb. 11, 2021 7 p.m.	“The Black Church” Documentary
Feb. 18, 2021 12 - 1 p.m.	His Legacy: Your Dreams Today \| How Dr. King Influenced My Life & Career with Doug Williams
Feb. 1 - Mar. 1, 2021	OC AAEN Eddie Engram Award Poetry Contest

March 2021

Date	Event
Mar. 17, 2021 6 p.m.	Candid Conversations: The Black Church

August 2021

Date	Event
Aug. 19, 2021 7 p.m.	Candid Conversations: Strengthening Bonds between the Faith and LGBTQ+ Communities

Events in 2020

January 2020

Date	Event
Jan. 10, 2020 10 a.m.	African American Council of Christian Clergy of Central Florida, “Spreading The Dream 2020" - Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center, 445 South Magnolia Avenue, Orlando
Jan. 12, 2020 5:30 p.m.	Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Candlelight Vigil & March - (In partnership w/the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. City of Orlando Commission)
Jan. 14, 2020	Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Official Proclamation Presentation - Board of County Commission Meeting
Jan. 17, 2020 11:30 a.m.	Annual Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Luncheon
Jan. 18, 2020 10 a.m.	Annual Downtown Orlando Jaycees Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade
Jan. 18, 2020 2 p.m.	Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. City of Eatonville Parade
Jan. 18, 2020 7 p.m.	African American Chamber of Commerce of Orlando Annual Eagle Awards
Jan. 20, 2020 7:45 a.m.	Annual YMCA Arthur “Pappy” Kennedy Prayer Breakfast
Jan. 20, 2020 10 a.m.	Annual City of Ocoee Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade
Jan. 20, 2020 2 p.m.	Annual City of Apopka Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade
Jan. 20, 2020 6 p.m.	Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Rollins College Vigil & March
Jan. 29, 2020 – Feb. 1, 2020	31^st Annual Zora Neale Festival
Jan. 31, 2020	Annual Zora Neale Festival - “Dear Martin” Novel – Meet the Author, Nic Stone

February 2020

Date	Event
Feb. 6 5:30 p.m.	Black History Committee of Orange County Art Exhibit & Ed. Series
Feb. 9 6 p.m.	African American Chambers Black Professionals Night
Feb. 12 5:30 p.m.	City of Orlando Black History Reception
Feb. 13 6 p.m.	Raise Your Glass Unity Mixer
Feb. 15 7 p.m.	Annual Black History Month Gala 2020 – Black History Committee of Orange County
Feb. 16 2 p.m.	Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings & The Orange County History Center presents, “Marching Forward” Screening
Feb. 17 10 a.m.	Orange County Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Initiative “First Annual Random Acts of Kindness Day”
Feb. 18 6 p.m.	Greater Haitian American Chambers Black History Month Celebration
Feb. 28 11 a.m.	Black History Committee of Orange “Festival on the Lawn”

Resilience, Recover and Rejuvenation: In Unity

Virtual Town Hall Meeting

The challenges of COVID-19 have affected our Orange County community in various aspects. In the spirit of Dr. King’s mission to “persevere through adversity,” the Mayor Demings' Orange County MLK Initiative held a Virtual Town Hall Meeting hosted by Orange County MLK Initiative Chairs Monica May and Lisa Bachman.

Watch the Town Hall on YouTube or Vimeo

Candid Conversations with Our Community

Virtual Town Hall Meeting

In light of recent occurrences (both national and local) surrounding the death of George Floyd, Mayor Demings’ Orange County MLK Initiative held a Virtual Town Hall Meeting on June 5, 2020 to serve as a forum for local leaders to engage the community, hosted by Orange County MLK Initiative Chairs Monica May and Lisa Bachman.

The focus and discussion was to seek solutions to bridge the gap between law enforcement and the community.

Special message from Mayor Jerry L. Demings
Engage local leaders for community solutions
Community policing initiatives & programs

Guest Speakers

Val Demings — U.S. Representative, Florida's 10th Congressional District
Kamia Brown, State Representative, Florida House of Representative District 45
John Mina — Sheriff, Orange County Sheriff's Office
Aramis Ayala — State Attorney, Ninth Judicial Circuit
Orlando Rolón — Police Chief, Orlando Police Department
Beverlye Colson Neal — Chapter President, Orange County NAACP
Dawn Curtis — President, Orange County Democratic Black Caucus
Miles Mulrain Jr. — Founder, Let Your Voice Be Heard, Incorporated
Yanidsi Velez — Florida State Director, Hispanic Federation
Roderick Zak — Pastor, Rejoice in the Lord Ministries

Watch

Watch: On YouTube or On Vimeo

Questions and Comments

View the original list of questions and comments posed by the participants during our Town Hall session on June 5, 2020. An updated list of the questions and answers will be posted to this webpage in the upcoming days once completed.

Questions and Comments (PDF)

After reviewing the citizen inquiries posed during our “Candid Conversation” Virtual Town Hall, it was determined that many of the answers could be found on the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and the Orlando Police Department updated websites. There is a lot of resourceful information on each site. We are encouraging residents to visit and review each of them thoroughly for direct responses to their inquiries.

Juneteenth Events 2020

Rally for Justice and a Commitment to a Movement: Not Just a Moment

June 19, 2020 | 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Bill Breeze Park, 125 N. Lakeshore Dr., Ocoee, FL 34761
Register

Juneteenth Freedom Day March

June 19, 2020 | 3 p.m. (March begins at 4 p.m.)
Lake Eola Park, 101 N. Rosalind Ave. Orlando, FL 32801
Learn more

African Americans and the Vote: The Journey to this Moment

June 19, 2020 | 7 - 8:30 p.m.
A commemorative Juneteenth virtual panel discussion on the origins of the right to vote for African Americans and where we are today.
Learn more

Imagining Freedom: Black Community and Creating Place

June 19, 2020 | 7 p.m.
As part of a live and interactive audience, you can join for conversations about African Americans and their place in America.
Register

Candid Conversations with Our Community: The Generation Z Edition

Virtual Town Hall Meeting

In 1967, Dr. Martin Luther King authored “Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?” It’s a question that is still relevant today. With the recent social unrest over the death of George Floyd, Mayor Demings’ Orange County MLK Initiative invited you to participate in the “What’s Next?” via the “Candid Conversations with Our Community: The Generation Z Edition” Virtual Town Hall Meeting on Wednesday, July 15, 2020 from 6 - 7:30 p.m. This was a call to action for teens and young adults to voice concerns on race relations, diversity and inclusion, and was hosted by youth leaders within the community.

Special message from Mayor Jerry L. Demings
Engaging Our Youth & Young Adults for Community Solutions
“Answering the Call: What’s Next?”

Watch

Watch the event on Youtube or on Vimeo.

September 2020

Date	Event
Sept. 19, 2020 9:30 a.m.	Business Leadership Summit
Sept. 15, 2020 6:30 p.m.	PBS American Portrait Virtual Screening – A Celebration of Hispanic Heritage
Sept. 21, 2020 - Oct. 4, 2020	Global Peace Film Festival

Global Peace Film Festival

Sept. 21, 2020 - October 4, 2020
The 18th annual Global Peace Film Festival will highlight films with themes related to civil rights, environmental justice, ethics, human rights, immigration, LGBTQ+, music, social justice, voting, personal wellness and wildlife. Beginning on the International Day of Peace, Monday, Sept. 21, 2020, a selection of more than 20 feature films and shorts will be available for screening at select theaters and online.
PeaceFilmFest.org

Meetings

Membership will meet on a monthly basis throughout the calendar year. The meetings will increase during the fall and winter months (September to November) in preparation of the Annual King Holiday. All Committee meetings will be held at the Orange County Administration Building located at 201 South Rosalind Avenue, Orlando.

Meeting Calendar

Meetings for 2022

Please note: All 2022 meetings are virtual until further notice.

Date & Time	Resources
Thur., January 13 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
Thur., February 10
Thur., March 10
Thur., April 14
Thur., May 12
Thur., June 9
Thur., July 14
Thur., August 11
Thur., September 8
Thur., October 13
Thur., November 10
Thur., December 8

Meetings for 2021

Date & Time	Resources
Wed., January 6 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
Wed., February 3 3 - 4:30 p.m.
Thur., March 11 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
Thur., April 8 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
Thur., May 13 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
Tue., June 15 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
Thur., July 8 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
Thur., August 12 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
Thur., September 9 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
Thur., October 14 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
Thur., November 11 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
Wed., December 1 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.

Meetings for 2020

Date & Time	Resources
Nov. 19, 2019	Video
Dec. 16, 2019	Video
Jan. 7, 2020,	Video
Feb. 4, 2020	Video
March 6, 2020	Video