Thousands of people headed to South Los Angeles on Monday to watch the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Parade on Monday.
The parade kicked off at 11 a.m. Cedric the Entertainer served as Grand Marshal and was joined by his fellow cast members from “The Neighborhood.” The parade featured several floats and performances from local high school marching bands, dancers, and drumlines.
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass and former Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa walked the parade route together.
“Well, it's a great day for the parade, but it's also a great day to honor and reflect on the history and the memory of Martin Luther King,” Bass told KNX News’ Jon Baird. “The way he fought a moral struggle against injustice, and that is a struggle that we're in the middle of right now, when we have unfortunately our federal government turning against us.”
“We need to build a mass movement,” Villaraigosa said. “A peaceful, nonviolent mass movement against the threat to our democracy that the White House represents.”
L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna also reflected on Dr. King’s legacy with Baird.
“I don't think I'd be the sheriff today if it wasn't for Martin Luther King and what he did during the civil rights movement. So, to me, it's very important, and if you look at the demographics of all the deputies behind us, it is a different sheriff's department today than it has been in years past.”
Capri Maddox, executive director of the LA Civil Rights Department, emphasized the importance of celebrating Dr. King’s legacy every day.
“To continue to be on the right side of history, making sure people feel welcomed,” she said. “Making sure that you fight discrimination, hate, and inequities on all fronts to make a better Los Angeles, and I want to let you all know that we are sending a strong message that hate has no home in Los Angeles from Mayor Bass, our council offices, as well as other leaders in this city. We are standing strong, and we are standing united, and we are in this together.”
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