Aryana Noroozi
It is an annual tradition for the community of Riverside, and beyond, to gather for the MLK Walk-A-Thon. Hosted by the African American Historical Society, this year’ event held Monday, January 19, began at Stratton Community Center and concluded at the Riverside Public Library, where thousands gathered to celebrate.
This year’s celebration was centered on youth and multicultural unity. John W. North High School students took the stage as they participated in multicultural dances, shared poems and the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The Inland Southern California Civil Rights Institute partnered with the Riverside Museum Associates’ multicultural committee, the John W. North Multicultural Council, and the African American Historical Society to stage a community finale for the school district’s Day of Inclusion. Usually held inside John W. North High School, the program was brought to this public event so residents could see first hand the year-round work that students are participating in through multicultural and inclusion-focused clubs.
Organizer Aicheria Bell, known as Miss Cherry, who worked with students on the production, said the goal was to showcase youth leadership, connect school-based efforts with the broader community, and underscore unity as the foundation of the event.
“Unity is number one across the foundation,” Bell said at the conclusion of the performance.
