Oviedo woke up to a chorus of fire truck sirens, the Oviedo High School band and the voices of local groups coming together in song commemorating the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
On Jan. 19, the Oviedo Citizens In Action put together a parade and a Fun Day in the Park at Oviedo on the Park to honor the legacy of Dr. King. The event featured music, awards and local organizations, with citizens coming together to celebrate and educate themselves of Dr. King’s footprint on society.
“I love seeing people that I’ve seen all around town all my life come together in one place all at one time,” Oviedo mayor Megan Sladek said.
The parade ended at Central Lake Park, and people began to gather at Oviedo on the Park at 11 a.m., enjoying food, shopping at tents of local businesses and learning about Dr. King from student-run clubs.
Hagerty’s Black Student Union attended the parade and three- year club member, junior Jasira Bailey won the OCIA’s “I Have a Dream award.” The award was given to an individual who showed the traits of a leader engaged in their community. The BSU honored Dr. King by marching in the parade and speaking to locals during the Fun Day in the Park.
“When some of our BSU members and I went on stage and said some of our speeches, it made an impact and people really liked it,” Bailey said.
Marik Ahmed is a student at Valencia College and part of the Florida Student Pow organization, a network aimed at students aged 15 to 30.
“I’m very passionate about human rights, and that’s why this day is so important to me, because this was like the stepping stone for a lot of civil rights groups,” Ahmed said.
FSP aims to advocate for those in need and build leadership by engaging in campaigns, civic engagement programs and power pods. During power pods, students can learn how to strategize and practice collective decision making.
“We try to advocate for environmental rights and human rights,” Ahmed said. “I think things like that are very important, because a lot of youth are being kept out of politics.”
Other local groups were at the Fun Day in the Park as well, supporting Dr. King’s message of equality. People gathered around the stage at Central Lake Park, listening to passionate speeches from the OCIA and music.
“If you look around, you’ll see the integration of the Black [and] white all coming together here in the city of Oviedo for Martin Luther King,” substitute teacher Charles Coffie said. “I think that’s what he really wanted, [for] all of us to get together and be as one.”
What began with a simple walk has now turned into a big celebration in memory of the impact that Dr. King brought to the United States. Citizens who participated in the event believe that his dream lives on today.
“It started with only being a walk down Broadway in Oviedo,” OCIA treasurer Danny McKinney said. “But it’s been 25 plus years where we have celebrated the legacy of King.”
