41st Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration
Jan. 19 in Santa Monica
Keynote Speaker is Bonnie Boswell, Emmy Award-winning Producer, Reporter, and Talk Show Host
SANTA MONICA, CA — Santa Monica College (SMC) and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Westside Coalition are pleased to announce their 41st annual celebration honoring the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The free celebration features Emmy Award-winning producer, reporter, and talk show host Bonnie Boswell, as the keynote speaker. The event will be held on Monday, Jan. 19, at 9 a.m. in the John Adams Middle School (JAMS) Performing Arts Center, 2425 16th St., Santa Monica.
The event — one of the largest and most diverse celebrations of its kind in Southern California — is presented by The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Westside Coalition, a nonprofit whose mission is consistent with Dr. King’s legacy. Event sponsors include the City of Santa Monica, Santa Monica College Associates, Santa Monica College, Santa Monica Malibu United School District, SGI-USA, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica Bay Area Human Relations Council, and various other organizations and individuals.
This year marks the celebration’s 41st anniversary. The 2026 theme is “Injustice Anywhere is a Threat to Justice Everywhere.” The multi-ethnic, interfaith program will include inspirational remarks, guest speakers, and musical performances. The program also features the presentation of education awards to local high school seniors and first-year college students, and a Community Light Award.
After the program, a Community Involvement Fair starting at 10:30 a.m. will present informational displays by a variety of community organizations. Light refreshments will be available.
Bonnie Boswell is an Emmy Award-winning producer, reporter, and talk show host who currently serves as executive producer and reporter for Bonnie Boswell Reports on PBS. Her PBS projects include the 2024 Emmy-winning Saving Moms, a documentary on maternal health, and A Conversation with Pastor James Lawson and Attorney Bryan Stevenson. She also produced a documentary about her uncle, The Powerbroker: Whitney Young’s Fight for Civil Rights, which First Lady Michelle Obama presented at the White House. At NBC-Los Angeles, Boswell was a community reporter and produced Seeds of Peace, a documentary that won the Golden Mike Award. She holds degrees from Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Details about the annual celebration and other related special events — including the Santa Monica Area Interfaith Council’s MLK Freedom Celebration and Breakfast (on Jan. 16 at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church, 1343 Ocean Park Blvd., Santa Monica) and the Santa Monica Symphony Orchestra Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Concert (on Jan. 17 in Barnum Hall at Santa Monica High School, 600 Olympic Blvd., Santa Monica) — are available at The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Westside Coalition website mlkjrwestside.org.
Additional information may be requested by sending an email to mlkjrwestsidecoalition@gmail.com.