-STILL WALKING STILL DETERMINED-
During Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1963, he said that he dreamed of a world where his four little children would not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. Hundreds of thousands witnessed this historical event in American history and nearly 51 years later we still remember and acknowledge the impact this preacher from Atlanta, Georgia has had on our nation.
To continue his legacy, people of all ages including civic leaders, community leaders, families and our very own Habitat for Humanity Riverside staff and AmeriCorps gathered on the 85th anniversary of Dr. King’s birth on a sunny January morning in Riverside, California at the Stratton Center on Martin Luther King Blvd. to participate in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr 21st Annual 5K Walk-A-Thon.
The event started around 10am and after a few minutes of stretching on the Stratton Center’s basketball court we began walking toward Riverside City College. With the help of the local Riverside police department slowing down traffic and guiding the group down the street, the sound of laughter and cheer filled the brisk morning air. The walk was very enjoyable due to the many young participants walking and exercising with cheerful hearts.
Walking through Downtown Riverside was a delight. The downtown district is a very walkable area and there are many wonderful architectural and design orientated sights to admire such as the brick buildings on University, the sculptures of Dr. King and Cesar Chavez, city hall and the Riverside County Court Office.
The 5K walk was not straining or tiresome, which is a good thing, and it did not take long to finish and arrive at Riverside City College. Our team arrived relatively together and all enjoyed participating in an important community event with a great message of being active and remembering the legacy of a great American Civil Rights leader.
The 21st Annual 5K Walk-A-Thon would have made Dr. Martin Luther King Jr proud. Dr. King would have been especially proud to see the youth display such honorable character proving that today people have changed the way our we view different cultures, skin color and race. Dr. King’s dream was not a dream of insanity but one of reality.
