- April 4, 2025
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Participants line up at the Robert L. Taylor Community Complex before the walk begins.
Mairead Howley and Flannery French are all smiles as they line up for the annual MLK Unity Walk and Celebration.
Booker High School cheerleaders led cheers and performed during the MLK Unity Walk from Robert L. Taylor Community Complex to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park.
Patty Tun holds a sign as she walks down North Osprey Avenue.
Hazel Williams, 4, gets a lift from Davonte Williams during the MLK Unity Walk. Participants walked from the Robert L. Taylor Community Complex to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park.
Ruth Beltran and Deidra Larkins hold their fists in the air during the MLK Unity Walk. Some participants brought homemade signs to display during the walk.
Mason Peterson, 4, gets a lift from Donald Bell.
Some participants brought signs with them to hold during the walk, such as this one that Gabriel Dun held in the air.
Participants march down Dr. Martin Luther King Way.
Participants march down Dr. Martin Luther King Way.
Emily Hulvey, 6, holds up a sign she carried during the walk.
Shavonne Simon, part of I Am More, Inc., hands out school supplies to kids walking in the march.
Maddox Richardson, 3, rides his bike down Dr. Martin Luther King Way.
Shaniya Bane, Jamiya Jones and Kenya Woodard are mentors in Elegant Diamond Diva Society, which is a mentorship program for girls in grade six through 12. Some of the participants marched with their mentors in the walk.
Back row: Donald Bell, Shanika Lee-Clayton, Saul Johnson, Eva Williams-White and Gloria Livingston-Mitchell; front row: Melissa Thomas, Ryan Wheeler, Pam Sheppard, Rashonda Simon, Bridget Cox, Amy Storey and Tanjee Lane all of Women and Men With a Purpose
Nina Tortelli and Rhana Bazzini
Front- Lyon Beltran and Shakti Matis; Back row- Deidra Larkins, Dasani Wade, Celia Huffin, Ruth Beldran, Bryan Ellis, Juliana Musheyev and Tiffany Larkins
Vicki Odom and Ronnie Phelps greet the crowd. Following the walk, participants gathered at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park for performances and other activities.
Rose Hoffman and Al McAnts dance to the choir from Trinity Baptist Church.
Patricia Curry and Marco Bell dance along to the choir from Trinity Baptist Church.
The Trinity Baptist Church choir was the first performance at the MLK Unity Walk and Celebration.
The Trinity Baptist Church choir was the first performance at the MLK Unity Walk and Celebration.
North Osprey Avenue and Dr. Martin Luther King Way had some extra traffic on Jan. 16.
In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, residents and visitors of Sarasota walked from the Robert L. Taylor Community Complex to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park. The 1.2 mile walk might not have been long, but it was powerful. Some people held signs, some cheered and some sang along to music.
People of all ages gathered for the walk that ended with an afternoon of performances, activities and celebration at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park.
Before the walk began, Helen James, event organizer and member of Suncoast Women of Action told the crowd it was a happy and glorious day.
“We’re going to make a difference in 2017,” she said to the crowd.
The day started with a breakfast and continued with the walk and celebration and a basketball game at Booker High School. James said this event is so important because people need to know about their leaders.
“It’s our history,” she said. “It’s our legacy. It’s our democracy.”
