Placer residents to honor King Monday at annual Rocklin event

For more on this subject, see Our View on page A4. Placer County residents are invited to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the fourth annual Placer MLK Jr. Family March & Celebration at 10 a.m. Monday in Rocklin. King was a key civil rights leader from the mid-1950s until his assassination in 1968, who advocated for equality and human rights for all citizens. The annual family-friendly celebration is organized by SeeMyChild, a local nonprofit organization "dedicated to lifting up young voices and showcasing today's youth to ensure that every child is seen, heard and loved." Hosting Monday's event is the Placer MLK Jr. Planning Committee, whose mission is "to encourage inclusive opportunities in Placer County by building bridges and helping others live up to a shared purpose to serve all. As a collection of equity-minded local residents, we strive to offer opportunities to foster a stronger community, a more supportive environment, open dialogue, increased opportunities for representation, and to celebrate the living memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr." Why attend Monday's celebration? "We live in an amazing community that is as rich in its people, as it is in its natural beauty. This event is meant to build up our community," said Placer MLK co-chair Shannon Catanella, "and that begins with our families. Come join the celebration and meet the diverse people who live here and call Placer County home." The Placer MLK Jr. Planning Committee is comprised of 40-plus volunteers from the Lincoln area, Loomis, Rocklin and Roseville. The committee has collaborated with area city, county and school officials the last four years to promote an all-inclusive event in which everyone in Placer County feels welcome to attend and support. School districts, including Rocklin Unified and Eureka Union, are participating; and some area municipalities, including Roseville, Rocklin and Colfax, have added a mayoral proclamation to their city calendars. This year's theme is a reflection on "Inclusion and Belonging: His Dream, Our Determination." Monday's outdoor family event at Rocklin's Johnson-Springview Park will feature a community march through the area, guest speakers, music, art, contest winner awards, and children's arts and crafts activities. The 2.2-mile march begins about 10:20 a.m. at Johnson Springview Park and ends back there in time to hear speakers, entertainment and students reading excerpts from Dr. King's iconic 1963 "I Have A Dream" speech. Organizers expect about 300 community members will attend on Monday. One of those community members is student Elisaveta Pylypchuk in the Dry Creek Connections Academy homeschool program, who won first-place in last year's art contest with "This Saved Thing." Pylypchuk's artwork is pictured above. "I'm very honored that my design will be used for a shirt. I think I'd be able to share where I got my inspiration as well," Pylypchuk said. "I knew I wanted to do something with a theme of unity, and after looking at related art and that from past years' contests, I came up with the Statue of Liberty torch idea. Thank you for the opportunity!" Monday's celebration is free but donations will be accepted at the event or online at PlacerMLKday.com. Donations will go directly to the purchase of multicultural construction paper, skin-tone crayons and representational books for Title 1 schools in Rocklin, Loomis, Roseville and Auburn. While attending Monday's celebration is one way to honor King, the celebration organizers hope residents honor the civil rights leader all year. "Everyone of us can honor MLK by not only quoting him but living like him more regularly," said Twiana Armstrong, SeeMyChild founder and Placer MLK co-chair. "Reach out and learn more about the famous words and what they mean, then and now."