ALOHA!

Our 2010 Parade Theme
We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.
~ Martin Luther King Jr. ~

Tuesday, January 19, 2010 – The 2010 Parade on Monday, January 18, 2010, was a great success; larger than ever and with a joyous “vibe”! We will be posting the many media stories within the next few days. You can view 200 parade photos Here and the many rally photos Here. The media and the public can use these without charge but please credit “Scott Foster & Associates” as the photographer. Should you want larger photos for print, contact us with the photo numbers as displayed on line and we will send you the original photo file. Also note, our 2010 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Souvenir book and several of the previous books can be downloaded Here. Mahalo to everyone for again making “The People’s Parade” a resounding success. See you in 2011!

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January 16, 2010

Haiti outreach gets aid on MLK’s day Hawaii’s network of Haitians connect to share precious information

By Rob Shikina

The peace bell tolled not only in memory of Martin Luther King Jr., but also for the victims of the devastating earthquake in Haiti. It was the 22nd annual birthday celebration held by the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Coalition Hawaii at the Nagasaki Peace Bell on the grounds of Honolulu Hale last night. Read more Here.

2010 MEDIA RELEASE

ALOHA AND WELCOME! The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Coalition-Hawai`i (MLK) is again honored to extend our invitation to the community and its many organizations and individuals to participate in the 22nd Annual MLK Celebration Parade & Rally on Monday, January 18, 2010. All are invited to participate in the numerous other related events near this date. Our 2010 theme is another of Dr King’s profound statement: “We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.” The 22nd Annual parade begins at Magic Island with the formation of organizations at 7:30 a.m. The parade moves out at 9:00 a.m. and travels on Kalakaua Avenue thru Waikiki to Kapiolani Park and the Unity Celebration, with its food, community booths and camaraderie.

SCHEDULE OF 2010 MLK EVENTS

MONDAY, JANUARY 18, 2010; 9 am: The 22nd Annual Parade will travel down Kalakaua Avenue from Magic Island and culminates with a post-parade Unity Rally at Kapiolani Park. After the parade, the bandstand comes alive all day with stellar music and entertainment. There wil be great local & ethnic foods, a children’s playground, community booths and other vendors. Hawaii’s parade is truly “the people’s parade”. In 2009, over 50 units and some 1000 people marched or rode in the parade, many thousands watched from the sidewalks and buildings in Waikiki and an estimated 3000 attended the 2009 post-parade celebration.

Our annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Souvenir book is free and available to the public during the various events. Mahalo to the City & County of Honolulu for their kind assistance and kokua. Previous books can be read and downloaded Here.

The MLK Coalition also co-sponsor the International Peace Poem Project with local winners announced in April of 2010 by each of the island Mayors. We invite you to view the web-site @ to learn how you can participate in this worldwide affirmation of the sanctity of the human spirit.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 2010; 12 Noon: The Royal Hawaiian Band (RHB) Concert at Iolani Palace is dedicated to Queen Liliuokalani and Dr. King. The RHB under the direction of Bandmaster Michael Nakasone, was founded in 1836 by King Kamehameha III and is one of the last living links to Hawaii’s monarchy. Now an agency of the City & County of Honolulu, the RHB is the only full-time municipal band in the United States.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 2010; 5:30 pm: Annual Candlelight & Bell Ringing Ceremony at Honolulu’s Nagasaki Peace Bell on the grounds of Honolulu Hale; Lauhala and Beretania Streets We celebrate this solemn event on Dr. King’s actual birthday (January 15, 1929-April 4, 1968). Dr. King said, “There will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to sing with a new meaning, “My country, ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim’s pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring.” We will again make a resounding noise with our bell ringing to proclaim the fundamental importance of freedom in our own lives, in our island, our nation, and our world. And we will ring out to call attention to the insensitivity, injustice, and inequality that curtails freedom and happiness throughout society. While our actions are symbolic, they have tremendous potential. We invite you to join in this wonderful work beginning today. Make freedom ring!

PLEASE MAIL CONTRIBUTIONS TO SUPPORT OUR EVENTS TO:
MLK-Hawai`i
590 Farrington Highway #210
P.O. 163, Kapolei, Hawai`ii 96707

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ABOUT OUR 2009 PARADE AND RELATED EVENTS

By January of 2009, it was no news to anyone that our world had changed dramatically since MLK Day in 2008. Many of us were already frightened about our jobs, savings, homes and retirement — indeed frieghtened about our very futures. In researching a theme for the 2009 events, we revisited the speech delivered by Dr. King on April 4th, 1967, at a meeting of Clergy and Laity Concerned at the Riverside Church in New York City; Beyond Vietnam — A Time to Break Silence and the following statement by Dr. King seemed to resonate with us as the 2009 theme:
If we do not act, we shall surely be dragged down the long, dark, and shameful corridors of time reserved for those who possess power without compassion, might without morality, and strength without sight. The entire speech is Here

With this mandate to act, the MLK Coalition-Hawai`i was again honored to extend its invitation to the community and its many organizations and individuals to participate in the 21st Annual MLK Parade & Celebration which was held on the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Holiday on Monday, January 19, 2009. And the community responded. The 2009 event was by-far the largest in our 21-year history!

Our parade began at Magic Island and moved thru Waikiki to Kapiolani Park and the Unity Celebration, with its exciting program of live music and dance, ethnic & local food, community organization booths — and much camaraderie. We commend the many who helped make our 2009 parade & rally events the great success they indeed were. View 2009 photos Here.

The Hawai`i MLK Day parade is truly “the people’s parade”. We have no staff and only a small group of volunteers working with little budget and our growth and achievements through the years are entirely because of the combined volunteer support of our local community and its rainbow of organizations and individuals. A sincere mahalo to you! In 2009, over 50 units and some 2000 people marched or rode in the parade, many thousands watched from the sidewalks and buildings in Waikiki, and an estimated 3000 attended the 2008 post-parade Rally.

Contributions, no matter how small to support our events are appreciated and may be mailed to:
MLK-Hawai`i
590 Farrington Highway #210
P.O. 163
Kapolei, Hawai`i 96707