NEWTOWN, Fla. (SNN TV) — The steady rain didn’t stop a steady stream of people from marching into Newtown to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Sometimes it was a drizzle, and sometimes it was heavier, but the people marched as the rain came down.
It was all part of the Unity and Historical Walk — a walk that began at the Robert L. Taylor Community Complex and ended at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park in Newtown.
“The people here are so tied to the community that even when they leave, they always want to give back to this community,” said Dr. Yusif Addae, who helped organize the event with the Gulf Coast Medical Society.
The walk, of course, celebrated Dr. King himself.
“As a Black man growing in this country, the dreams, the aspirations, the wisdom, and the freedom that he fought for is the embodiment of what we want humanity to be,” Dr. Addae said. “This Martin Luther King is apolitical. He’s beyond race; he’s beyond gender. He embodies humanity.”
Sentiments echoed by others who attended the event.
“Dr. Martin Luther King was all about unity and I think sometimes that message gets lost,” said Jessika Ward, who emceed the Dr. MLK Jr. breakfast Monday morning. “We are all one. When we are all doing the right thing for one another, it’s best for the community.”
The celebration had your normal assortment of music and vendors, and despite the weather, people surprisingly showed up.
Or maybe not so surprisingly.
“That is Sarasota for you,” Addae said. “It’s amazing that anytime you call on anyone, I call to the sheriff, [and] they say they are in. They don’t ask any questions, and they put it together.”
Which is what Dr. King stood for when he said, “At the heart of all that civilization has meant and developed is ‘community’ – the mutually cooperative and voluntary venture of man to assume a semblance of responsibility for his brother.”
“Yes, we can disagree on some things, but when it comes down to the health and wellness of our community, we are united,” said Addae.
