County Events Honor Martin Luther King Jr.

On a late summer day in 1963, Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., stood on the National Mall before hundreds of thousands of demonstrators who had gathered to march for freedom, justice, and equality. On that day, King shared a dream that has continued to inspire a nation: to bring justice where there is injustice, freedom where there is oppression, peace where there is violence and opportunity where there is poverty.

To commemorate King’s legacy, below is a list of events that highlight the importance of community service, reflection and dialogue, musical performances, children’s activities and more.

Saturday, Jan. 13

Community Service Projects

• 9 a.m., Cathy Hudgins Community Center at Southgate
• 6 years and older – free
• Join friends and neighbors in honoring King’s legacy by serving your community. As King said, “Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve.” Special projects support Cornerstones and Reston neighborhoods.
• To volunteer, contact Ha Brock, Volunteer Reston manager, at 703-435-7986 or habrock@reston.org.

Keynote Address by Michael Steele: “The Black Experience & The American Dream”

• 4 p.m., McLean Community Center
• $30/$25 seniors/$20 MCC district residents
• For all ages. Michael Steele made history as the first Black chairperson of the Republican National Committee. He will bring his perspective to engage us in a dialogue about the Black experience in the context of the American Dream, unflinchingly taking on hard-hitting topics.

Reston Community Orchestra

• 4 p.m., RCC Hunters Woods Community Room
• $18 for seniors/$25 for adults; free for youth and military
• Annual Musical Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
• With music and words specifically chosen for this occasion, the RCO honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The program features sopranos Alia Waheed, Beverly Cosham, Dr. Gilbert Pryor and students from Al Fatih Academy. Mark Irchai, one of the four finalists in the RCO’s search for a new conductor, will be conducting this concert.

 

Sunday, Jan. 14

Dan + Claudia Zanes

• 2 p.m., RCC Hunters Woods – the CenterStage
• $15 Reston/$20 Non-Reston
• Grammy Award-winner Dan Zanes and Haitian American jazz vocalist Claudia Zanes perform a mix of old and new songs from near and far. During this highly interactive show, the audience is invited to dance and sing along in what might be called a casual – and subversively educational – festive atmosphere. The music is homespun, joyful, sophisticated and artful. This performance will appeal to audiences of all ages.

Calvin Earl “Music of the Civil Rights Movement”

• 2 p.m., The Alden and the McLean Community Center
• $10/$7 for seniors/$5 MCC District residents
• For all ages. As a singer/songwriter/guitarist/storyteller and activist Calvin Earl highlights our collective human story with music intending to bring us to a better understanding of who we are, in the context of our American story. Join us in an uplifting class on the music of the Civil Rights Movement and beyond. Change is inevitable. Music helps us though that change and helps us together imagine our lives beyond who we are and what we know, into who we will become. 

Monday, Jan. 15

Celebration at Frying Pan Park

• 10:30-11:30 a.m., Frying Pan Park Visitors Center
• $8
• Dive into the spirit of community and discover the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. at the Frying Pan Farm Park Visitor Center’s Martin Luther King Jr. Service and Learning Event. Enjoy a dynamic and engaging activity that will have participants rotating through different stations to learn about the Civil Rights Movement, participate in a community service project and reflect on the power of community cooperation. This event is not just educational, it’s an opportunity for families to come together and make a positive impact in our community.

Keynote Address by Rev. William J. Barber followed by Community Lunch

• 11 a.m., RCC Hunters Woods: The CenterStage and Community Room
• $5 Reston/$20 Non-Reston (Sold out, but waitlist tickets will be available)
• The Rev. William J. Barber II has pastored Greenleaf Christian Church since 1993 and is a professor at Yale Divinity School. Barber is a civil rights advocate and champion of various movements, including workers’ rights and women’s rights. Following the keynote address, a family-style lunch will be provided in the Community Room. 

Especially for Youth

• 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., RCC Hunters Woods
• 6-12 years old – free.
• Children rotate through a series of activities, including an age-appropriate video and arts and crafts. The activities will be based on the history of King and the Civil Rights Movement. Lunch will be provided. Children should be registered in advance. If space permits, registration is available at the door.

The Reston Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration weekend is presented by Reston Community Center in cooperation with the Cathy Hudgins Community Center at Southgate, Cornerstones, Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services, The Closet, the Office of Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn, Reston Association, Reston Community Orchestra and local schools.

For more information, contact RCC Offsite and Collaboration Director Maggie Parker at 703-390-6147 or Margaret.Parker@fairfaxcounty.gov. To register for programs, visit www.restoncommunitycenter.com or call 703-476-4500.