What's at stake:
While Dr. King celebrations are taking place nationwide, this year’s events unfold amid federal actions under President Donald Trump targeting diversity, equity and inclusion.
For Pastor Booker Lewis, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is about more than just a parade — it is about remembering why people marched in the first place.
This includes centering Dr. King celebrations around giving back to the community and fostering community engagement, with events led by residents and grassroots leaders with support from some public institutions.
Lewis, a longtime Fresno pastor at Rising Star Missionary Baptist Church in southwest Fresno, helps lead a community-run King celebration committee that is entering its third year. The group formed after years of what Lewis described as unsuccessful attempts to engage with the city-sponsored MLK unity committee, which he said has become increasingly disconnected from the Black community in Fresno it is meant to represent.
In a recent interview with Fresnoland, Lewis referenced Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer’s longtime “One Fresno” signature slogan and nonprofit foundation.
“One Fresno cannot be achieved until you deal with justice,” said Lewis, who is also a community organizer in Fresno. “Justice has to run down like water, righteousness like a mighty stream. You can’t be equitable with me when you are treated better than I am.”
Despite differences between the committees, both are hosting events to honor King’s legacy and messaging, aiming to inspire community members to walk in unity, fight injustice, and create programs that engage and empower younger generations.
For many community members, King’s historic visit to Fresno in June 1964 is a point of pride. The American civil rights icon joined protesters in Fresno opposing a California housing law on the ballot at the time that would have allowed landlords to discriminate against tenants based on race.
His visit underscored the fight for fair housing and civil rights, linking the broader civil rights movement to the challenges faced by Black families in Fresno and beyond.
King celebrations this week take place amid federal actions under President Donald Trump targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Agencies have stripped and censored information on their websites about Black history and the ongoing struggle for equity and equality, including replacing free national park entry on MLK Day and Juneteenth with free entry on Trump’s birthday.
These actions contradict Trump’s White House reception for Black History Month last year. Trump also pledged in an executive order to promote “excellence and innovation” at historically Black colleges. Instead, mass firings have gutted the U.S. Department of Education and threatened federal support for Black families.
The chaos has been particularly concerning for Black student loan borrowers, who owe a disproportionate share of the nation’s student debt and face greater challenges than their white counterparts in repayment.
These and other Trump policies, community members say, conflict with the principles of MLK celebrations.
“We’re still living in the shadow of Dr. King’s dream,” Lewis said. “The work isn’t finished.”
Community group MLK celebrations
The committee draws together a core group of eight organizers and roughly 30 endorsing organizations, including pastors, nonprofit leaders, and longtime advocates.
Tiffany Magnum, a committee member, described the group as a “collaborative of community leaders and partners” focused on justice, equity, and community voices and year-round activism that shape the lives of Fresno residents.
“Justice does not know a color or a race,” Magnum said. “It doesn’t know socioeconomic barriers. It applies to all of us.”
That belief guides how the committee structures events, bringing together people from different backgrounds and experiences to elevate voices advocating year-round for housing, education, jobs and other basic rights.
“It’s incredible how relevant these issues are, even today,” Magnum said. “And that’s not necessarily a positive thing because it feels like we’ve regressed in many ways and haven’t learned the lessons of the time and season that we had Dr. King here alive with us.”
Looking ahead, Magnum said she hopes the celebrations continue to grow, particularly by creating space for younger generations to engage with King’s legacy in ways that feel meaningful to them.
A divide among committees
Lewis said members of the community-led committee initially tried to work within the city’s existing Dr. King celebration structure. Over several years, he said, they attended meetings, offered recommendations, and attempted to collaborate with the city-sponsored committee on programming and outreach.
Those efforts, Lewis said, were largely unsuccessful.
Proposals for greater community involvement were not well received, he said, and procedural rules limited meaningful engagement from grassroots leaders.
Lewis said tensions also grew around who held formal seats on the city-sponsored committee. He pointed to institutional representation, including Clovis law enforcement agencies and school districts, taking priority over community leadership. After repeated attempts to find common ground, the group was asked to operate as a subcommittee, an offer they declined.
In response, Eric Payne, a representative of the city-sponsored committee, said the structure intentionally includes institutional partners alongside community voices to coordinate across education, public safety, youth development, and civic systems that impact Black residents.
“These institutions do not replace community representation,” Payne said. “They are meant to be accountable partners alongside community members. We recognize, however, that lived experience and direct community leadership are essential, and we remain open to strengthening pathways that elevate grassroots voices within the committee’s work.”
Payne acknowledged that procedural processes can feel restrictive, but said the committee’s goal is to balance openness with the operational needs of a large citywide event. He emphasized that faith leaders and community voices remain central to the celebration, and that multiple expressions of honoring Dr. King can coexist.
Elected officials are invited to participate to reflect their role in shaping policies that affect the communities Dr. King worked to uplift, Payne said, stressing that their presence is not intended to overshadow community voices. He also clarified that the proposed subcommittee relationship was offered as a way to coordinate and share resources, not to control the community-led effort.
“While we may differ on structure or approach, we believe those differences can be addressed through continued dialogue, reflection, and collaboration,” Payne said. “We welcome those conversations and hope to work together to build mutual understanding and shared purpose in the years ahead.”
How about city-sponsored MLK events?
Edward Thomas, senior pastor of Impact Church in east Fresno, said the annual peace vigil is not just a tribute to Dr. King words, but an effort to put his message into practice. The vigil, he said, is meant to embody King’s call for peace by creating space for the community to speak for itself.
Now in its second year, the vigil invites residents to share personal reflections on unity, racism and healing. Last year’s event was held outside Fresno City Hall, where community members, not just elected officials or faith leaders, were given the microphone.
This year, the vigil will take place at Impact Church, following a Sunday service that will culminate in a candlelight gathering.
“We’re in such a divisive time and we’re in a divisive world,” Thomas said. “Dr. King always said a movement has to keep moving because there will always be darkness.”
Thomas, who has worked with the unity committee for the past four years, said the goal is for these gatherings to spark action beyond January. He emphasized that King’s legacy was never meant to be confined to a holiday, but carried into daily life, at workplaces, churches and within neighborhoods.
“Love is the greatest force and tool we have,” Thomas said. “When you can spread that love, light and unity, those are things that need to be on the forefront, not put on the back burner, not to be forgotten and not to be made to feel like it’s not important.”
This year’s observance will also include a “Countdown to King,” event Thomas launched four years ago to engage younger residents.
By pairing the service, vigil and youth-centered programming, Thomas said the aim is not only to honor King’s legacy, but to challenge the community to live it — by speaking up against injustice, stepping outside comfort zones and choosing unity in a fractured world.
Gail Gaston has been a part of Fresno’s city-sponsored Dr. King’s celebration committee for 32 years, serving in roles ranging from chair and vice chair to her current position as treasurer.
She described the week of events as a mix of education, community engagement, and celebration, designed to honor King’s legacy while bringing people together.
“It’s really about sharing with the youth how far we’ve come,” Gaston said. “Holding hands with each other, supporting each other in the community, sharing our goals and being a partner to help people achieve those goals.”
Schedule of MLK events
Friday, Jan. 9, 2026
- Jazz Tribute to the Legacy of Dr. King (Non-City Committee Event)
- Time: Airs on 90.7 FM (or stream at kfsr.org)
- Description: Dr. Robert Mikell pays tribute to Dr. King through commentary and music composed and recorded by jazz artists who supported the Civil Rights Movement. Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech will be played in its entirety.
Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026
- Fresno Metro Black Chamber MLK Luncheon(Non-City Committee Event)
- Time: 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
- Location: DoubleTree Hotel
2233 Cesar Chavez Blvd., Fresno, CA 93721
Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026
- West Fresno Ministerial Alliance MLK Breakfast (Non-City Committee Event)
- Time: 7 – 9 a.m.
- Location: Cornerstone Church
1455 Fulton St., Fresno, CA 93721
- Pastor and Ministry Leaders Conference (Non-City Committee Event)
- Time: 12:00 noon
- Location: Westside Church of God
- Cost: Breakfast $35 / Table $280 / Luncheon $15
- “Celebrating the Faith of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.” (Non-City Committee Event)
- Presented by: Fresno City Wide Revival Team
- Time: 7 p.m.
- Location: St. Rest Baptist Church
1550 E. Rev. Chester Riggins Ave., Fresno, CA 93706
Friday, Jan. 16, 2026
- Garlanding Ceremony (City Committee Event)
- Time: 11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.
- Location: Courthouse Park
1100 Van Ness Ave., Fresno, CA 93721
- “Celebrating the Faith of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.” (Non-City Committee Event)
- Presented by: Fresno City Wide Revival Team
- Time: 7 p.m.
- Location: Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church
2529 E. Belmont Ave., Fresno, CA 93701
Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026
- Clovis Police Department Community Breakfast (City Committee Event)
- Time: 9 – 10:30 a.m.
- Location: Clovis Veterans Memorial District
808 4th St., Clovis, CA 93612 - Tickets: $5 (pre-payment required)
- Community Leadership Event hosted by FCC TRIO / Upward Bound Program (Non-City Committee Event)
- Time: 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
- Location: Fresno City College, Old Administration Building Auditorium
1101 E. University Ave., Fresno, CA 93741
Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026
- Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Vigil (City Committee Event)
- Time: 2 p.m.
- Location: Impact Church
1461 N. Chestnut Ave., Fresno, CA 93703
- Prayer Walk & Vigil (Non-City Committee Event)
- Time: 3 p.m.
- Location: MLK School
- “Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Gospel Explosion” (Non-City Committee Event)
- Time: 4 p.m.
- Hosted by: TBM Ministries & Central Valley Music and Arts Collective
- Location: Westside Church of God
Monday, Jan. 19, 2026
- Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community March (City Committee Event)
- Time: 9:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
- Assembly: 9:30 a.m. at St. John’s Cathedral
2814 Mariposa St., Fresno, CA 93721 - March Route: Begins at 10:00 a.m., stops at Fresno City Hall, and proceeds to Veterans Memorial Auditorium
2425 Fresno St., Fresno, CA 93721
- Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration Program & Community Awards (City Committee Event)
- Time: 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
- Location: Veterans Memorial Auditorium
2425 Fresno St., Fresno, CA 93721
- “From Non-Violence to Black Power” Panel Discussion (Non-City Committee Event)
- Time: 3 p.m.
- Sponsored by: Revolutionary MLK Organizing Committee
- Location: Free AME Ministries
806 Collins Ave., Fresno, CA 93706
