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MLK spirit on display at Crenshaw High as 700 volunteers take part in day of service

Esmeralda Fabián Romero | January 16, 2017


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City Year volunteers painting a mural at Crenshaw High School on MLK day of service. (Provided by City Year)

City Year volunteers paint a mural at Crenshaw High School on the MLK Day of Service. (Courtesy: City Year)

Honoring the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., hundreds of young volunteers from City Year in coordination with local partners on Monday commemorated Dr. King’s dream of the “Beloved Community” by beautifying Crenshaw High School in South Los Angeles.

City Year, a national organization dedicated to helping students and schools succeed by deploying diverse teams of trained AmeriCorps members to high-need urban schools, mobilized more than 700 volunteers for the day of service. The City Year alumni, staff and AmeriCorps members, along with 60 volunteers from Disney, which sponsored the event, painted 35 murals and 120 college logos and took on two gardening projects.

More than 280 City Year Los Angeles corps members serve full time at 28 local schools to provide individualized academic and social-emotional supports to students who face the greatest risk of dropping out.

“National service is a common experience that brings people together from all walks of life, and perhaps more than ever before, our country needs more unity and collaboration,” Mary Jane Stevenson, executive director of City Year Los Angeles, said in a statement. “Through our work in 28 Los Angeles schools, and through our partnerships with the Los Angeles Unified School District, the local business community and the parents who have supported our efforts, our AmeriCorps members honor that legacy each and every day.”

Nearby, LA Unified officials participated in the 32nd annual Kingdom Day Parade, whose theme was “Now more than ever, we all must work together.” Joining in were Superintendent Michelle King, board President Steve Zimmer and board members Scott Schmerelson and George McKenna.

The parade took place along the route of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to Crenshaw Boulevard, concluding at Vernon Avenue. More than 200,000 people were expected to line the parade route to watch about 100 groups in the parade, including floats, the LAUSD All City Honor Marching Band and other bands, equestrian units, dancers and other arts groups.

The South Los Angeles’ Kingdom Day Parade is considered one of the biggest in the nation.

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