THE DREAM CONTINUES: YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND TOMORROW - WATCH LIVE MONDAY, JANUARY 18 @ 10AM - The City of San ...
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COMMEMORATIVE VIRTUAL
— MARCH 2021 —
THE DREAM CONTINUES:
YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND TOMORROW
WATCH LIVE MONDAY, JANUARY 18 @ 10AM
WE ARE
HERE
for
TEXAS
From promoting diversity and inclusion in
our communities, to volunteering our time for a worthy cause,
at H-E-B Each and Every Person Counts™.
©2021 HEB, 21-2788
— RON NIRENBERG —
MAYOR
Every year, the people of San Antonio come together and celebrate
the largest MLK March in the world. We march not only in an act of
solidarity to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy, but to advance his
vision of love, peace and justice for all.
This year, with the COVID-19 pandemic taking hold of our community, our
residents will not get an opportunity to march together. Though we are
not 300,000 strong marching down MLK Drive, we can still connect over
the common good and work with our community through collective acts
of service. As your mayor, I have the privilege to serve and work with you
every single day towards the goal of creating a more equitable city—a
community in which every child, every family, and every neighborhood
can achieve their God-given potential.
In our city, there is an ethos of compassion, a community value of
empathy toward every neighbor. I want to thank the San Antonio
MLK Jr. Commission for the work they do to carry this torch. From
the Woolworth lunch counter to MALDEF’s lawsuits for equality in
education, our city has led the charge for change. Yet we still have work
to do. A recent study marked San Antonio as the most economically
segregated city in America, a statistic closely correlated with race.
Other research discovered a ten-year gap in life expectancy from one
zip code to another, robbing precious years of life simply for being born
in a different place. This inequity and injustice is not only immoral, but holds our entire city back from being as
great as it can be. The COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated these challenges. But with your support, we’re
working to overcome this virus and promote equity and prosperity in every community.
I believe that if you were to choose any time in history to live in San Antonio, you would pick right now. Thanks to
your work, your advocacy and your passion for progress, we are a more equitable community than ever before.
We will continue striving for Dr. King’s vision of compassion and keep marching toward a more perfect city and
nation.
In Unity,
The Honorable Ron Nirenberg
Mayor of San Antonio
3
The time
is always right,
to do what
is right.
–Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Valero Fuels Our Community
Valero strives to be a good neighbor by sharing its success through
volunteerism, community investment and the financial support of being a good employer.
— ERIK WALSH —
CITY MANAGER
Erik Walsh is the City Manager of San Antonio, the nation’s seventh
largest city. As the chief executive officer of the municipal corporation,
Walsh oversees 13,000 employees, manages an annual operating and
capital budget of $2.9 billion and serves 1.5 million residents. Walsh was
appointed City Manager by Mayor Ron Nirenberg and the City Council
on Jan. 31, 2019 and assumed the position effective March 1, 2019.
Prior to his appointment, Walsh served as Deputy City Manager from
2011-2019 overseeing the Police and Fire departments, Metropolitan
Health District, Office of Emergency Management and 311/Customer
Service Center. As Assistant City Manager from 2006-2011, he
managed the Development Services, Animal Care Services and Solid
Waste Management departments in addition to the City’s budget and
intergovernmental relations functions.
Walsh’s 26-year career with the City of San Antonio includes extensive
operations management, organizational development, budget, fiscal
policy and contract management experience. He began his career with
the City as a budget analyst.
During his tenure, Walsh successfully managed and negotiated many
high-profile contracts on behalf of the organization, including an
interlocal agreement between the City, Bexar County and CPS Energy
for a new $80 million public safety radio system, first-of-its-kind operating agreements with Lyft and Uber for
transportation network companies to operate in San Antonio and Animal Care Services’ first live-release
contracts with rescue agencies and community organizations. He served as the lead staff negotiator for three
collective bargaining agreements with the San Antonio Police Officers Association and two collective bargaining
agreements with the San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association.
As a senior executive overseeing many areas of the City organization, Walsh’s focus on improving efficiency and
effectiveness of City services has resulted in a reorganization of the Solid Waste Management Department and
implementation of automated garbage and recycling systems, the launch of a streamlined, user-friendly 311SA
mobile app and revisions to the Animal Care Services Strategic Plan resulting in increased spay and neuter
services.
Walsh served as Region 8 Director for the Texas City Management Association (TCMA) in 2015, as a board
member for the Local Government Hispanic Network from 2012-2015, and as a Tri-Chair of the International City/
County Management Association (ICMA) annual conference in 2017. In 2018, he was recognized by TCMA for his
contributions to the city management profession.
Erik Walsh
City Manager, City of San Antonio
5
— JADA ANDREWS-SULLIVAN —
SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT 2
Councilwoman Jada Andrews-Sullivan grew up on the east side of San
Antonio, and for 43 years, District 2 has been her home. She attended
Gates Elementary School, Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School, and
Sam Houston High School. At the age of 16, she graduated from high
school and attended the University of Texas at Austin for 2 years. While
at UT Austin, she enlisted in the United States Army and served our
country proudly for 4 years until being honorably discharged. She
launched her business in 2006 and has had a successful run for the last
13 years. She was raised by a strong mother, and with her mother’s help,
has raised her 4 children. She is proud to say that she lives, works, and
dreams in District 2.
Jada Andrews-Sullivan
San Antonio City Council, District 2
6
Bexar County
Commissioners Court
County Judge
Nelson W. Wolff
BEXAR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT DONATED
Commissioner, Pct. 1
$10,000 TO THE MLK SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION
Rebeca Clay-Flores
Congratulations! The MLK Commission has done an
Commissioner, Pct. 2 outstanding job in coordinating the virtual March and
Justin Rodriguez Legacy Celebration with the leadership of Renee Watson,
Chair, 2021 MLK Commission.
Commissioner, Pct. 3
Trish DeBerry The County’s Department of Small Business and
Entrepreneurship Department (SBED) embodies the
Commissioner, Pct. 4 strong partnership between economic development and
Tommy Calvert entrepreneurship. The SB&E Department, which is
charged with the responsibility of administrating the
County Manager Small, Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprise
David Smith (SMWVBE) Program, Disadvantaged Business Enterprise
(DBE) Program and coordination for US DOT Title VI
Regulations as applied to Bexar County’s Federal Highway
(FHWA) funded projects, seeks to establish innovative
programs that involve new or existing businesses and
provide monitoring and compliance.
“We are an action-oriented team dedicated to linking
SMWBE/DBE/HUB to opportunities that will ensure success in the
government marketplace and the private sector”
Renee Watson, BBA, MPA, ECMCA
Director, Small Business & Entrepreneurship Dept.
Small, Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprise (SMWBE) Program
Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Liaison / Title VI Coordinator
www.bexar.org/smwbe
— TOMMY CALVERT, JR. —
BEXAR COUNTY COMMISSIONER, PCT. 4
Dear Participants,
On behalf of Bexar County and the State of Texas, I am honored to welcome
you to the Martin Luther King, Jr. 34th Anniversary Commemorative March
organized by the City of San Antonio. This year is a special year as we celebrate
the 53rd Anniversary of the Nation’s March and our great city celebrates this
momentous occasion.
The annual march in honor of Dr. King has become an integral part of the
fabric and identity of our city as thousands gather and continue to march for
justice, equality, and remembrance of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.
The annual celebration organized by the San Antonio MLK Commission has
propelled our city’s march to become the largest commemorative program in
the nation. This however would not be possible without the visionaries and
leaders in our community such as the late Rev. Dr. Raymond “R.A.” Callies Sr.,
former Councilman Mario Salas, Ethyl Minor, Lillian SuUon-Taylor, my father TC
Calvert and many more who have kept the legacy of Dr. King alive for 53 years
since the initial community march in 1969.
I want to thank the San Antonio MLK Commission for their tireless work to bring
together this annual march, other virtual festivities, and administer the Martin
Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Fund. This year I am pleased to have allocated
$10,000 in Bexar County’s budget for the San Antonio MLK Commission. The
work that continues to be done by the MLK Commission and many others is an example of how we, as San Antonio, continue
to further Dr. King’s Dream. Together we can build bridges of understanding and strengthen our diversity so that we can create
a more just world for future generations and to create opportunities for all Bexar County and San Antonio residents to prosper.
During this time of reflection, I encourage you to honor the ideals and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King not only as we
virtually march together hand in hand, but every single day. I hope and look forward to your participation in this year’s virtual
celebration of the annual march.
Always your voice,
Tommy Calvert, Jr.
Bexar County Commissioner, Pct. 4
8
THE 2021 MLK
DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
The Martin Luther King Distinguished Achievement Award is given to an individual(s)
who has attained distinction in achievement within the African American community
or the community at large. It was first given in 1987 to Rev. Dr. R.A. Callie’s Sr. The
physical award is a trophy bust of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. designed by Texas
artist Jonas Perkins.
MLK DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENTS
1987.......... Rev Dr. R.A. Callies, Sr.* 2004.......... Atty. Clarence McGowan*
1988.......... Sister Mary Boniface* 2005.......... Henry G. Cisneros
1989.......... Rabbi David Jacobson* 2006.......... Monsignor Dermot N. Brosman
1990.......... Harry Bums* 2007.......... Willie Mitchell
1991.......... Dr. Claude W. Black* 2008.......... Byron Miller
1992.......... Congressman Frank Tejeda* 2009.......... Bishop Samual Edward Iglehart
1993.......... Rev. Samuel Horace James* 2010.......... Charles Williams, Sr.
1994.......... Judge Blair Reeves* 2011.......... Rev. Lemelle Taylor
1995.......... Marcia Welch 2012.......... Aaronetta Hamilton Pierce
1996.......... Dr. Earl M. Lewis* 2013.......... Dr. Adena Williams Loston
1997.......... Ethel M. Minor* 2014.......... Eugene Coleman*
1998.......... Rep. Henry B. Gonzalez* 2015.......... Jo Long
1999.......... Rep. Ruth Jones McClendon* 2016.......... Harvey E. Najim
2000.......... Judge Carmen Kelsey 2017.......... Jelynn LeBlanc Burley
2001.......... Nancy Bohman 2018.......... Mayor Ivy Taylor
2002.......... Willie Mae Clay & Dr. Robert L. Hillard* 2021.......... Rev.Dr. Kenneth R. Kemp
2003.......... William Sinkin* * Deceased
2021 MLK ART CONTEST WINNER
“IT TAKES ALL OF US” BY YESENIA MORIN
Yesenia Morin, 11, Bernal Middle School. Mixed Media – Procreate®
A PANEL OF COMMUNITY JUDGES REVIEWED ALL ENTRIES AND SELECTED YESENIA MORIN AS THIS YEAR’S WINNING
ARTWORK. THIS YEAR’S JUDGES INCLUDE:
LOU MILLER
REGINA HORNE-ESPREE
GAIL COLLINS
JEANIE MURPHY
SPECIAL THANKS TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO’S DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND CULTURE FOR
COORDINATING THE CITYWIDE ART CONTEST!
10— DR. GEORGE WILLIAMS —
2021 MLK SCHOLARSHIP CHAIR
11Enter to win a new car and support the
San Antonio MLK Scholarship Fund!
Raffle tickets are $25.00 each and are available for purchase
until January 18th 2021 by 11:59pm!
Scan the QR code below to purchase a raffle ticket.
or
Click the link below to purchase your raffle ticket.
ENTER TO WIN
Drawing date is January 20th 2021— RENEE WATSON —
COMMISSION CHAIR
In order to prioritize the health and safety of our community and visitors,
The City of San Antonio’s MLK Commission decided to commemorate
the legacy of Dr. King by virtually celebrating his life and legacy and
recognize the 53rd anniversary of the 1st March for Justice organized
by the late Rev. R. A. Callies, Sr., a San Antonio teacher and pastor. The
Commission makes clear and ensures that the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr. March is not a “parade.”
Mere words cannot begin to demonstrate the immense pride that I
feel in having been appointed in February 2020 by Councilwoman Jada
Andrews Sullivan to chair the 2021 March Committee of the Commission
and this past October to serve as Chair of the MLK Commission.
Let me now say, that for decades, I have marched either by Reverend
Callies side or with his spirit. In doing so, I have always used this
occasion to reflect upon where we as a people, and as a community,
region and nation, stand with the Rev. Dr. King’s legacy. How his fight for equality and equity has progressed.
Where it has succeeded, AND where we, the incarnation of his dream, carry it through. It is, specifically, in
recalling the obstacles and the pitfalls that I, myself, have seen firsthand over these decades the resistance that
makes us pause and yes, at times question, whether we should suspend or try to carry on the fight when it is a
more popular idea, or when it is a better political climate, that I am reminded of a ringing statement made by the
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr as he sat in a Birmingham jail in 1963:
“For years now I have heard the word “WAIT!” It rings in the ear of every Negro with piercing familiarity. This
“WAIT” has almost always meant “Never.” We must come to see, with one of our distinguished jurists, that
“justice too long delayed is justice denied.”
1963. 58 years… To say that an event occurred 58 years prior was simply ‘a long time ago’ is a vast understatement.
In 58 years we have elected, 12 different presidents. We have ushered in hundreds of new Congressional leaders.
We have seen a Black man elected president. We have seen a Black woman elected as vice president. And a
Black man elected to the US Senate from GEORGIA! All of these, momentous and absolutely prolific happenings
in this nation were spearheaded by an open-minded, open-hearted populace, imperfect though WE may be.
If you are one of our future civic leaders; if you are a dreamer, if you are a decider, if you are a person of action
and determination and resolve to mold this world, to shape it to the ideals that we share with the Rev. Dr. King for
social and economic justice… then I now look to you. I look to you with hopeful eyes and a faithful heart and I say,
NOW IS YOUR TIME. Now is your time to lead, to teach, to organize, to fight, to endure, and to carry on the Dream
and the legacy of the Rev. Dr. King. NOW IS YOUR TIME.
Remember the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday is a day on, not just a day off. And as the late Congressman
John Lewis would say, get into some good trouble today for a better tomorrow!
Renee Watson, BBA, MPA, ECMCA serves as Director of the Bexar County Small Business & Entrepreneurship
Department.
13— CARLA WILLIAMS-WALKER —
COMMISSION VICE CHAIR
It has been an honor and a privilege to become a Vice Chair for the
2021 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commission. I began my journey working
with the “Take Pride in the Eastside” MLK Jr. Celebration, held at New
Barnfuls St and East Houston intersection, where we would then go to
the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church parking lot for the Youth talent
show. We outgrew that area and moved to the Pittman Sullivan Park
to hold the commemorative program to follow the March. Every year
has been exciting, and we have grown beyond 300,000 every year. The
volunteer work has allowed me to experience many community service
volunteers, great workers on the commission, great community leaders
as Commission Chairs under the District 2 Honorary Chair Councilmen
and women. My parents were community workers as well my farther,
the late Oscar “Daddy Ray” Williams, my mother Doloris “Mama Dee”
Williams, my sister Gail Williams-Collins, and my children Andrea
Walker and Dominque Walker for their continued support. San Antonio
is a truly blessed city. Being a native San Antonian, eastside resident,
I feel so Godly proud to share the good news of this great city that holds the largest march in the nation. Thank
you, San Antonio, for the continued support, collaborative efforts, pride, unity, and Sponsors who has made this
possible. Because San Antonio believes in the DREAM of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
“The Dream Continues yesterday, today and tomorrow”!
Carla Williams-Walker,
MLK Commission Vice Chair
PAST DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. COMMISSION CHAIRS
Aaronetta Pierce Rev. E.T. Walker (deceased) Gloria Ray
Helen Semedo Charles Shannon (deceased) Rev. Odis Mitchell
Rev. Claude Black Morris Stribling Art Hall
Dorothy Pickett (deceased) Arlene Washinton Bishop David Copeland
Bishop Ernest T. Dixson (deceased) Rev. Kenneth Allen Brandon A. Logan
Ernestine Pierce Rev. J. Carlton Allen (deceased) Nathaniel Davis
Rev. R.L. Archield (deceased) Rev. Edward Hayes (deceased) Dr. Keely Petty
Nancy Bohman Rev. Herman Price Renee Watson
142020 - 2021 CITY OF SAN ANTONIO
DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. COMMISSION
Honorary Commission Chair: Councilmember Jada Andrews-Sullivan
MLK Commission Chair: Renee A. Watson
MLK Vice Commission Chair: Carla D. Walker
Executive Commission Liaison: Erik Walsh
DISTRICT 2 COUNCILMEMBER APPOINTEES
Mr. Byrd Bonner Mrs. Mary Fulton-Moore Mrs. Mary Fulton Moore
Ms. Gail Collins Ms. Christine Dauphin Lacy Ms. Mia Morris
Mr. Mark Crump Ms. Patricia Jackson Ms. Yolanda Oden
Rev. Jeffrey Garner Mr. Dave Jones Ms. Francine Processer-Johnson
Mr. J. Maurice Gibbs Mr. Russell LeDay Rev. Douglas Randle
Mrs. Chaunice Holley Ms. Jennifer McWilliams Ms. Alberta Stiff
Ms. Shermeka Hudson Mrs. Brandyn Moore-Rodriquez Ms. Cloe Toney
Mrs. Regina Horne Espree Ms. Tahlar Rowe Mr. James Tillman
CITY OF SAN ANTONIO
Mayor District 3 District 7
Ron Nirenberg Rebecca J. Viagran Ana E. Sandoval
City Manager District 4 District 8
Erik Walsh Dr. Adriana Rocha- Manny Pelaez
Garcia
District 1 District 9
Roberto C. Treviño District 5 John Courage
Shirley Gonzales
District 2 District 10
Jada Andrews-Sullivan District 6 Clayton Perry
Melissa Cabello Havrda
CITY STAFF
John Peterek, Assistant to the City Manager
Poulami Majumdar, Sr. Executive Secretary, District 2 Jada Andrews-Sullivan
Yolanda Oden, District 2 Council Liaison Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commission
Jhair Rincon, Office of the City Manager, Executive Management Assistant
Shreya Shah, Assistant City Attorney, Regulatory Division International Center
152021 FEATURED GUEST SPEAKERS
— YA’KE SMITH —
MONDAY, JANUARY 18, 2020
When I was first asked to direct this year’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
virtual celebration, I was both honored and overwhelmed, because
“the march” has played such an integral part in my life for a long as I
can remember. Being the largest event of its kind in the world, I knew
that all eyes would be on me, which set a high expectation to deliver a
cinematic experience that would not only be watched this year, but for
years to come. But I welcome challenges, and more-so than that, it’s
during the most challenging times that I rise up and produce my finest
work.
Working alongside a very talented film crew, under the guidance of the
MLK Commission, I created “Dream: Rise up For Justice,” a film that
not only retains the celebratory nature and historical relevance of the
march, but a film that gives voice to the present moment, a moment that
is intricately connected to the revolutionary mission of Dr. King.
This was not an easy project to create. How does one pay tribute to a
City, a people, every diverse voice speaking loudly for social and racial
justice, every fighter, every faith leader, every artist using their gifts to
honor God, and Martin Luther King Jr., a man we’ve come to recognize
as a pillar in the fight for equality and the sanctity of human life. Frankly,
one cannot. However, what we have created has the spiritual DNA of
Dr. King and those who fought alongside him, of the original organizers
of this march, of the City of San Antonio, and of the foot soldiers who
have picked up the mantle of liberation and run with it boldly, loudly and
fearlessly.
There’s one Dr. King quote that always rings in my head: “the time is always right to do right.” During these times of
social unrest, the right thing to do is to continue to fight for the sanctity, humanity and dignity of Black and Brown
lives, impoverished lives, working class lives. The lives of those in the LGBTQ+ community, the lives of indigenous
peoples whose land we exist on, the lives of our frontline workers who haven’t missed a beat during this global
pandemic and, ultimately, the lives of those unsung heroes who keep this City, state, nation and global community
alive.
It was my honor to work alongside this group of creatives to produce this film, my honor to have been asked to do
it, and now it’s my honor to share it with you.
16VIA is proud to support the 2021 Martin Luther King Jr. Virtual March and keep the dream in motion for all of San Antonio. We stand united with our community for equity, peace, and justice in celebration of Dr. King’s life and legacy. WHEN IT’S GO TIME, GO SAFELY. RIDE SAFE, RIDE NOW AT VIAINFO.NET
ORIGIN OF THE DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
MARCH IN SAN ANTONIO, TX
Following the death of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. April 4, 1968, Rev. Dr. R. A. Callies, Sr., launched and ignited what would
become to be recognized as the largest civil rights march in the United States. Who would have imagined that 50 years later a city
with a population of less than 10% African American would be host to the largest march today! The intent of Rev. Callies was not
to see how large he could grow the march but to help the city of San Antonio recognized that the citizens on the eastside were
being deprived of a number of basic needs such as city parks, bridges at low water crossing, sidewalks, traffic lights and jobs for
the youth.
Born in El Campo, Texas, September 12, 1929, Rev. Callies, was the founder and builder of Christian Fellowship Baptist Church
and First Gethsemane Baptist Church (now renamed). He was a man of God and had a genuine love for mankind. He was a loving
husband to Eunice E. Callies and father of five children Raymond A. Callies, Jr., Arlington R. Callies, Doris M. Dunlap, Yvette Wilson
and Phyllis Holland. He was the first recipient of the distinguished achievement award presented the the Martin Luther King
Commission. He was the founder and organizer of the Youth Leadership Conference for Community Progress and the motto was
“Building Our Youth for a Greater America with the hand of Providence,” established in 1968.
Coming from a humble beginning Rev. Callies refused to accept complacency as he continued to push the envelope for better
conditions. His passion and love for mankind and America was the fuel that provided him the courage to pursue execellence and
not accept average. His fight for equality included but was not limited to several trips to city council, leading a march in the right
lane of a four lanes street because that was all the city permitted and writing letters to the editor. The marches begin with 10-12
folks with a policeman in the front and one in the rear. In an effort to attract additional followers Rev. Callies mounted two speakers
to the cab of his red truck and played gospel music and several speeches by M.L. King such as “I have A Dream” and “Letter from
Birmingham Jail.” People who use to watch the march begin to take notice and join in as we pressed forward. They didn’t worry
about how they were going to get back to their homes but wanted to be part of a movement for justice and equality for all people
regardless of race, religion, gender and social economic status.
Finally, the city heard the voice of Rev. Callies and grant him the things he had march for such as J-Street and Martin Luther King
park, Martin Luther King Plaza, Rice Road bridge, Freedom Bridge (named after Rev. R. A. Callies), changing Nebraska Street to
MLK drive, changing the name of James W Riley to Martin Luther King Middle School. As a shop instructor at MLK middle school
for over thirty years in the SAISD, Rev. Callies had a genuine love for youth and cared about their future. He recognized that a
number of youth struggle to find jobs during the summer. He went back to the city council in n effort to obtain funding and created
summer jobs that included cleaning city parks, working in the library and cleaning the city cemetery.
The unveiling of the Martin Luther King statue in 1982 is probable Rev. Callies greatest accomplishments because of the tireless
efforts it took to raise the appropriate funds. The city supported the idea of having a life size figure of Dr. King but did not fund 100%
of the project. So, Rev. Callies took action and actively reach out to the youth in the community to help with the worthy project. He
collected empty Folgers Instant coffee cans, painted them red and use them to collect money for the Martin Luther King statue.
Every Saturday morning for approximately five years Rev Callies and his band of youth worked at the Martin Luther King plaza in
an effort to raise money for the MLK statue. Some Saturday’s he ventured to the south, west and north side of San Antonio but
most of the solicitation was from the Eastside community.
In 1987, the city finally recognized the work that Rev. Callies was doing and the impact it had on the nation and join him sponsoring
the first annual Martin Luther King Freedom march. Rosa Parks join the march that year and rode in a vintage city bus similar to
the one used in 1960. The march continued to blossom and the route basically is the same except it ends at Pittman Sullivan Park
instead of the MLK plaza.
My Dad never pastored a mega church or held a politically office but interrupted a way of life on the Eastside of San Antonio
that was unacceptable. Traffic lights at dangerous intersections, sidewalks on major streets, two bridges to alleviate flooding,
summer jobs for economically disadvantage youth, two city parks are just a few of the accomplishments that he worked. It took
a lot of courage, long days and nights to achieve the things he worked for because it did not come without resistance on several
occasions. But in his toil and strife he recognized that the race is not always given the swift but to the one that endured to the end.
— Arlington R. Callies
182021 CITY OF SAN ANTONIO
DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. COMMISSION
— OFFICIAL EVENTS —
THE 2021 CITY OF SAN ANTONIO MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. COMMEMORATION MARKS THE
34TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CITY’S CELEBRATION OF THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF DR. KING.
ALL EVENTS WILL BE STREAMED ON SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTATED..
TUESDAY, JANUARY 12, 2021 MONDAY, JANUARY 18, 2021
BEXAR COUNTY PROCLAMATION & DONATION CEREMONY MLK VIRTUAL MARCH
10:00 A.M. • COURTHOUSE (IN-PERSON) 10:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. • TV CHANNELS: NEWS4SA AND TVSA21 •
LIVESTREAM: NEWS4SA.COM, FOXSANANTONIO.COM, NEWS4
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2021 FACEBOOK, FOX SAN ANTONIO FACEBOOK, MLK COMMISSION
COVID-19 VACCINE - VIRTUAL MEDICAL FACEBOOK, AND TVSA
CONVERSATION & RESOURCES
7:00 P.M. • STREAMED ON SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS DEADLINE FOR MLK SCHOLARSHIP CAR RAFFLE
In partnership with the Center for Healthcare Services. A panel Purchase a raffle ticket to enter to win a new car and support
discussion on the COVID Vaccination with Leo Edwards, MD; the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Fund. Raffle tickets are
Kenneth Kemp, MD; Ruth Morgan, MD; FAAFP and Lauren $25.00 each and are available for purchase until January 18th,
Rodriguez -Thompson, RN. 2021.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2021 TIME TO SERVE
MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS - VIRTUAL CONVERSATION & 8:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M.
RESOURCES ON THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ISOLATION AND FEAR An event to allow Citizens to serve our community across San
7:00 P.M. • STREAMED ON SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS Antonio and Bexar County. Citizens are encouraged to wear their
In partnership with the Center for Healthcare Services. A critical MLK shirt, can go to any local park or trail, take a walk, pick up
conversation on Mental Health with Rene Olvera, MD MPH; a bag of trash, take a picture of themselves close to a park/trail
Bridgett Bailey, MD; Juanita Rodriguez-Cordero MA, LPC and sign and/or MLK sign and send to City of San Antonio at MLK@
Dora Snedeker, RN QMHP. sanantonio.gov
FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 2021 TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2021
ALL DAY • STREAMED ON SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS AN EVENING WITH ASHLEY BLAINE FEATHERSON
7:00 P.M. - 10:00 P.M. • GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH • 504 AVENUE 7:00 P.M. • LIVE.TRINITY.EDU
SATURDAY, JANUARY 16, 2021
COMMUNITY WELLNESS DAY IN THE PARK
In partnership with the Center for Healthcare Services.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2021
YOUTH TOWN HALL - VIRTUAL NEWS4SA
2:00 P.M. • LIVESTREAM NEWS4SA
CITY-WIDE INTERFAITH WORSHIP SERVICE
4:00 P.M. • SPONSORED BY AND SIMULCAST ON TVSA (CHANNEL
21) AND YOUTUBE (CHANNEL 15)
192020 FEATURED GUEST SPEAKERS
— PASTOR OTIS I. MITCHELL —
MONDAY, JANUARY 18, 2021
Pastor Mitchell leads the Mount Zion First Baptist Church in worshipping God
by focusing on 4 P’s: Praise, Prayer, Proclamation (of the Word) and Power
(of the Holy Spirit). He believes that all that we do in worship and service to
members and the community comes out of these principles of relationship
with God.
Reverend Otis I. Mitchell is a native of Smith’s Station Alabama, near
Tuskegee, Alabama and Columbus, Georgia. He is a graduate of Alabama
State University, with a B A Degree in Political Science. Also, he is a graduate
of the Interdenominational Theological Center, and The Morehouse School
of Religion, with a Master of Divinity Degree. He has an honorary Doctor
of Ministry Degree from The San Antonio Theological Seminary. Reverend
Dr. Mitchell served in the U. S. Army and had assignments at Fort Leonard
Wood, MO; Giessen, West Germany; Fort Monmouth, NJ; Fort Ord, CA; Fort
Huachuca, AZ; and overseas assignments to (2nd I D) Camp Howze, Korea and
the 1st Signal Brigade, Yongsan, Korea. He was also the Deputy Installation
Chaplain and pastor of the Main Post Chapel, Ft. Sam Houston, TX. He was in
Panama for operation ‘Just Cause’ and was liaison Chaplain for Fort Ord, CA
with the National Guard and Army Reserve during Operation Desert Shield/
Desert Storm.
Reverend Mitchell has been recreating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s sermons
and speaking about Dr. King’s life and in!uence since 1975. He has done this
before many thousands on military installations, in civilian communities,
Europe, Asia, and South America. He has even presented his recreation before
the King family in Atlanta, GA.
His “nal assignment in the military was at Ft. Jackson, SC. Rev. Mitchell is senior pastor of Mt. Zion First Baptist Church of
San Antonio, Texas since August 2006. It is one of San Antonio’s oldest African- American Churches, and leads community
and civic issues which enhance the moral “ber of San Antonio. Mt. Zion has a vibrant Prison/Jail Ministry and a weekly Food
Bank Ministry held at the church. Reverend Mitchell mentored Wheatley Heights Elementary School and started an on-going
mission to Haiti, which ministers to a Christian school, orphanage, and mission.
Reverend Mitchell retired from the U S Army in 2006 after more than 25 years of chaplain ministry. He was the 2010 and 2011
Chairman of the Martin Luther King Commission of San Antonio, which sponsors the largest MLK, Jr. March in the nation
(170,000+ marchers). He is married to the former Venita Dean of Columbus, GA. They have three adult children, Patrick,
Ashley, and Deante’. He is a member of the Baptist Ministers Union, the Community of Churches for Social Action, the
N.A.A.C.P., and a founder and past president of the Ft. Huachuca Rocks, Inc. (a military o#cer organization). Rev. Mitchell’s
personal motto is “Make a Difference!”
22SAN ANTONIO 34TH ANNUAL 2021 MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
CITY-WIDE INTERFAITH SERVICE
VIRTUAL BROADCAST • MONDAY, JANUARY 18, 2021
THE CITY-WIDE INTERFAITH SERVICE INCLUDES PRESENTATIONS, PRAYERS, CHANTS
AND MUSIC FROM THE HINDU, MUSLIM, JEWISH, CHRISTIAN, BAHA’I AND BUDDHIST
COMMUNITIES. IT WILL BE TELECAST ON CTSA AND TVSA AS NOTED ON THE GRAPHIC AND
STREAMED ON THE CTSA YOUTUBE CHANNEL AS NOTED. FEATURED KEYNOTE SPEAKER
IS ACCOMPLISHED AND INSPIRATIONAL PASTOR OTIS I MITCHELL OF MOUNT ZION FIRST
BAPTIST CHURCH.
23Martin Luther King Jr.
Wreath-Laying Ceremony
Sunday, April 11, 2021 at 2:00 pm
The 2021 Wreath-Laying Commemorative
Ceremony is held to honor the life,
struggles and accomplishments of
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This event
will take place at the intersection of
the 400 block of North New Braunfels Ave.
and East Houston Street in front of the
Martin Luther King statue.
If you need additional information,
please contact the Wreath-Laying
Ceremony Committee Chairs:
Harold C. Moore or Mary Moore at
210-449-3830.
24MUSICAL ARTISTS IN FILM
BILLY RAY SHEPPARD DJ LIL X JOSH HURT MICHELLE GARIBAY-CAREY
MLK CHOIR ROBERT CARTER VOCAB, DAT MAYNE DEEWAYNE,
LIL AUBREY
25THANK YOU MLK 2021 SPONSORS!
STATS
10k
Weekly print re
The San Antonio Observer, the city’s only African American
newspaper is a free weekly newspaper. Published since 1995, the
Observer has out lasted its contemporaries. The Circulation
Verification Council (CVC) audits the newspaper annually for 25k
distribution in print and range which includes zip codes Weekly Online Re
78201-78263. The Observer prints 10,000 copies every
Wednesday for over 62 distribution locations covering the entire
eastside of Bexar County. The Observer’s on-line audience is
audited at 20-25,000 unique visitors weekly.
3.2 k
Facebook follow
350k
For information on ad campaigns or media coverage contact
Doug Heath at 210 464-7123 or doug@saobserver.com
Monthly audience
all print, online an
platforms
26STATS
10k
Weekly print readers
The San Antonio Observer, the city’s only African American
newspaper is a free weekly newspaper. Published since 1995, the
Observer has out lasted its contemporaries. The Circulation
Verification Council (CVC) audits the newspaper annually for 25k
distribution in print and range which includes zip codes Weekly Online Readers
78201-78263. The Observer prints 10,000 copies every
Wednesday for over 62 distribution locations covering the entire
eastside of Bexar County. The Observer’s on-line audience is
audited at 20-25,000 unique visitors weekly.
3.2 k
Facebook followers
350k
For information on ad campaigns or media coverage contact
Doug Heath at 210 464-7123 or doug@saobserver.com
Monthly audience using
all print, online and social
platforms— NOTES — 28
— NOTES —
29— NOTES — 30
For additional information on the MLK March and the MLK Commission, please visit SanAntonio.gov/MLK.
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