ORLANDO, Fla. – Thousands of spectators showed up at the annual MLK parade in downtown Orlando Saturday morning, aimed at honoring the ultimate sacrifice of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Ednichelle Scott was at Saturday’s parade with her two kids.
“I think it’s important because they are actually witnessing it and it’s very important to know what he stood for,” Scott said.
[TRENDING: ‘Operation Viper:’ 8 people arrested in illegal Florida snake trafficking rings | Suspects in stolen SUV flee Polk deputies into Osceola County, cause fatal crash, sheriff says | Become a News 6 Insider]
Scott’s son Ezayiah Grant said it is vital to pay respects to a civil rights icon who fought for equality, justice and so much more.
“He supported us and made a dream for us so we can all be together not just have different schools, drink out of different water fountains,” Grant said.
Despite the cold and chilly temperatures Saturday morning, many say they wanted to come out to the parade in Orlando to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr King.
Fraternities, sororities, local dance teams and many other organizations took part in the parade, hosted by the Southwest Orlando Jaycees. This year’s parade theme was “It Starts with Me: Cultivating a Beloved Community Mindset to Break the Cycle of Injustice.”
“We have so many events, but we need to really focus on it all year-round, not just over these 10 days, and our city believes in diversity and equality,” Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said.
Princess Lorde attends Edgewater High School and joined other OCPS students as part of the MLK Youth Humanitarian Commission, aimed at community service, equality and inclusion — all qualities she said Dr. King stood for.
“He fought for us when we couldn’t fight. He spoke for us when we couldn’t speak. So that’s very important because even today we still face some of the issues that we had back in his time,” Lorde said.
And many say the fight is not over.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: