Oxnard, CA, Jan. 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Gathering for Justice announced today that it will host a first-of-its-kind event with the City of Oxnard and the McCune Foundation – “The MLK Freedom and Unity Weekend”. This special event will be held on January 15-16, 2023.
This groundbreaking experience will launch a unique event for youth and families of Ventura County to share the legacy and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and bring the community together to build solidarity, justice, and collective action. The weekend will include the Gathering of the Youth Summit, community mural project, a youth networking breakfast, the Pat Bell commUNITY Basketball game and more.
“I am proud to facilitate this celebration and watch the weekend unfold. It’s such an honor to return to my roots and have the opportunity to share space with incredible students, families, mentors and artists in my hometown,” said President and CEO, Carmen Perez-Jordan. “The weekend program will be a chance to connect students to the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., through our introduction training to Kingian nonviolence and through our panel discussions and keynotes. It will also be an opportunity to share our values on civil rights and racial justice, as my mentor, Harry Belafonte and founder of The Gathering for Justice bestowed upon me.”
The MLK Freedom and Unity Weekend will drive civic engagement and invest in young people of Oxnard and Ventura County, by connecting them with world renowned organizers, artists and influencers, and providing pathways to find their voice to ensure they prosper and grow. The event will offer youth a chance to connect with organizations working at the local, state and national level on issues of critical concern, especially to youth of color, and will provide opportunities for movement-building training, shared experiences, and key racial and social justice teachings.
“I am thrilled to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s legacy as we celebrate the date of his birth and welcome The Gathering for Justice to our great city of Oxnard. The city is pleased to work with The Gathering as it launches the MLK Freedom and Unity Weekend to engage our youth to help bring the community together in solidarity – a natural tribute to Dr. King,” said Mayor of Oxnard, John C. Zaragoza. “I know the training and events planned over the next few days will put our young people on the path to success to become our future leaders of tomorrow.”
The weekend event will attract youth participants, their families, educators, activists, media and more. Special guests include the Mayor of Oxnard, John C. Zaragoza; Co-chair of the 2017 Women’s March on Washington, social justice leader, author, and movement strategist, Tamika D. Mallory; Actor, Miles Brown, and his father and artist. Jack “WildChild” Brown; Hip Hop Artist Chino XL; Activist and Artist Mysonne the General; former Raiders linebacker Ronney Jenkins; award-winning filmmaker Trae Briers; Oxnard native rapper and artist Jazz Brown; Miss Alynette; DJ and Radio Host; and many more.
“We are excited to partner with The Gathering for Justice during the MLK Weekend to engage our local youth in building a strong and unified community. The training sessions, opportunities to network and meet with local educators and activists will help forge solidarity and build confidence in our youth,” said Oxnard's Director of Cultural and Community Services, Terrel Harrison. “We know the importance of a strong community and giving our young people these tools will forever change lives.”
Key activities include the Gathering of the Youth Summit which begins on Sunday, January 15 at 10 a.m. in the PAL Teen Center and will offer panels, training, workshops, keynotes, performances, and networking opportunities. In the evening there will be a sponsors and funders social. Monday, January 16 events will kick off with a freedom and a solidarity breakfast and conclude with The Pat Bell commUNITY basketball game with halftime entertainment by local Oxnard artists, including Alias Dance Crew, Mike Ramirez, and Raj.
"It's an honor to be a part of this event and it's great to see that this event has attracted so many students, families, educators and activists that bring about knowledge of systemic change and civic engagement,” said Pacifica High School Principal, D. Chris Ramirez. “Our community is very fortunate to have this event take place here in Oxnard and be able to not just read about it in our history books but be a part of it firsthand."
"As an English teacher, I have spent my entire career helping my students find and use their voice to effect change, and throughout the years my students have taught me that representation matters," said Pacifica High School Teacher, April Nunez. "Knowing that this MLK event was inspired by conversations from our very own Carmen Perez-Jordan when she was our guest speaker last year at Pacifica High School is an honor. Therefore, this opportunity for us all to work alongside her, and her Gathering for Justice family as we celebrate Dr. King’s legacy in our hometown is truly special.”
The MLK Freedom and Unity Weekend holds special meaning as The Gathering for Justice’s work is a direct extension of the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Our work is deeply shaped by Kingian nonviolence, and its mission, vision, programming, and core values are grounded by the philosophy of nonviolent community resistance and reconciliation.
About The Gathering for Justice
The Gathering for Justice is a nonprofit founded in 2005 by Harry Belafonte and led since 2010 by President and CEO Carmen Perez-Jordan. The mission of The Gathering for Justice is to end child incarceration and eliminate the racial inequities that permeate the justice system. The Gathering for Justice has two state-based task forces, Justice League NYC (established in 2013) and Justice League California (established in 2017), both of which bring together juvenile and criminal justice experts, advocates, artists, and individuals who’ve experienced or been impacted by incarceration directly. We believe in an organizing model which draws from diverse communities to utilize our combined power to build the agenda for sustained Black and Brown liberation. In the footsteps of our legendary founder’s activism, The Gathering for Justice and its Justice League state task forces utilize Kingian nonviolence as a social application for systemic change and civic engagement.
