In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, thousands of people turned out for the 39th Kingdom Day Parade in South Los Angeles Monday.
The three-mile parade began at 10 a.m. on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, then proceeded toward the Leimert Park Station. This year’s theme was “Can’t Stop, Won't Stop, Going to the Promised Land."
KNX News’ Jon Baird spoke to Rep. Maxine Waters, who was at the parade, about the importance of remembering the civil rights leader’s legacy.
“What we have now is an organized effort to undo the work that Martin Luther King did, bringing us all together and making sure that this country rid itself of discrimination and racism,” she said. “We’re talking about QAnon, we’re talking about the Proud Boys, the Oath Keepers, the KKK, they’re all back now. They’re encouraged by Donald Trump.”
The parade featured a procession of Disneyland employees, including Mickey and Minnie Mouse; the USC Trojan Marching Band and the university’s all-Black majorette team; a replica of the General Motors bus Rosa Parks rode in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955; and more.
The grand marshal was L.A. County Supervisor Holly Mitchell, who represents the Second District, which includes the parade route. Two of Mitchell's fellow supervisors, board Chair Lindsey P. Horvath and Hilda Solis, were also scheduled to participate in the parade, along with Mayor Karen Bass and Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, a candidate for the U.S. Senate.
“Today Dr. King would be over 90 years old, and I know that there’s a lot of things that he would be so excited and proud about, but there’s other things I know that would just break his heart,” Bass told Jon Baird. “The idea that tens of thousands of people are sleeping on the street and can’t even afford to live inside, I know would hurt his heart. But on the other hand, he would be so excited and proud that so many advancements have been made.”
City News Service contributed to this report.
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