SPRINGFIELD–Five area organizations will host Springfield’s annual citywide Dr. King Day Celebration on Monday, January 17, 2022 from 11:00am to 12:00pm. While normally held in person at the MassMutual Center, this year will once again be a virtual event hosted by Martin Luther King Jr Family Services, Community Music School of Springfield, Inclusive Strategies LLC, Springfield College and Focus Springfield. The livestream event can be watched on the home page of Community Music School of Springfield and Focus Springfield’s websites.
This year’s theme is “Standing Together In Hope We Rise” and will engage hundreds of youth, community leaders, and artists of spoken word, dance, music, and theater to reflect on the enduring legacy of Dr. King and the continued struggle for social justice in communities across the country. The Dr. King Day Celebration seeks to bring our community together to work toward the dream Dr. King so eloquently spoke of over 50 years ago.
Through these challenging times, Dr. King’s timeless urgent question, “what are you doing for others” is extremely relevant for us today. “My response to that question is,” said Ronn Johnson, President and CEO of MLK Family Services, “I have chosen to be a part of something that is so much greater that myself, to be inspired by the collective work and spirit that the MLK Jr Day Planning Partners have brought to our community every year for over 9 years. In the weeks leading up to the King Day Celebration on January 17th there will be a positive buzz in air as we are working to bring our best gifts to inspire. Youth and senior singers, drummers, violinist, orators, dancers, state and local political leadership and families representing the diversity of the Greater Springfield community come together to “Stand Together in Unity in Hope We Rise”.
This year’s celebration will feature virtual performances in the spirit of unity and in the bond of peace from the Springfield CommUnity Chorale led by Vanessa Ford; an orchestral performance by the MLK Day String Quartet, led by Marty Knieriem, Springfield Public Schools/CMSS Sonido Musica students performing original compositions, and community art from SPS students. The MLK Day Celebration 2022 will also include dramatic performance by newest MLK Day partner First Generation/Performance Project from their production of “Tenderness”.
Contact:
Eileen McCaffery, CMSS Executive Director
emccaffery@communitymusicschool.com
Event webpage:
communitymusicschool.com/event/mlk2022
Community Music School of Springfield
(413) 732-8428 | CommunityMusicSchool.com
