MLK Community Celebration
Honoring the legacy. Uplifting local leaders. Continuing the work.
The MLK Community Celebration is an annual community gathering honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. while uplifting local leaders who embody courage, service, justice, love, and community impact.
Each year, our community comes together to reflect, recognize, and recommit to the ongoing work of building the Beloved Community.
The celebration is free and open to the public thanks to the generosity of donors, sponsors, and community partners.
2027 Celebration Schedule
Monday, January 18, 2027
Free and open to the public. No registration required.
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Community tabling and engagement
Light refreshments provided
6:30 PM
Doors open to the Main Theater in the Fine Arts Center
Music by The Mayfield Experience begins
7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
MLK Community Celebration program
Free and open to the public. No registration required.
About the Celebration
The MLK Community Celebration is rooted in Dr. King’s vision of the Beloved Community — a community shaped by justice, dignity, compassion, courage, and collective responsibility.
Through awards, storytelling, reflection, and community connection, the celebration reminds us that Dr. King’s legacy is not only something we remember. It is something we continue.
Each year, the celebration uplifts local leaders who are helping move our community toward belonging, justice, service, and love in action.
Nominate a Leader
Each year, community members are invited to nominate local leaders whose service reflects the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
We honor leaders across generations who demonstrate courage, compassion, service, justice, and meaningful community impact.
Award Categories
The Lynda Blackmon Lowery Youth Leadership Award
Recognizing a young person who demonstrates courage, compassion, leadership, and service in their school or community.
The William “Bill” Coleman College Leadership Award
Recognizing a college student advancing justice, belonging, service, and leadership through campus or community involvement.
The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Award
Recognizing an adult leader whose work reflects service, equity, courage, and lasting community impact.
Sponsor the Celebration
The MLK Community Celebration is free and open to the public thanks to generous donors, sponsors, and community partners.
Your support helps cover event costs, honoree recognition, youth leadership visibility, community outreach, hospitality, accessibility, and the continued work of honoring Dr. King’s legacy locally.
Sponsorship is an opportunity to stand with the values of service, justice, courage, love, and community impact.
Sponsorship may support:
Honoree awards and recognition
Youth leadership visibility
Event materials and hospitality
Community outreach
Accessibility and public participation
Ongoing celebration communications and storytelling
Host a Community Table
Community tables create space for local organizations, nonprofits, schools, businesses, and civic groups to share resources, connect with attendees, and reflect the shared work of building the Beloved Community.
This is an opportunity to help community members learn about resources, programs, services, and opportunities connected to justice, belonging, leadership, education, health, service, and community care.
Stay Connected to the Celebration
The MLK Community Celebration is more than one day each year.
Stay connected for occasional updates about the annual celebration, nomination opportunities, honoree announcements, sponsorship, community tables, and ways to continue the work of building the Beloved Community.
2026 MLK Community Celebration Honorees
We are honored to recognize the 2026 MLK Community Celebration honorees for their courage, service, leadership, and community impact.
The Lynda Blackmon Lowery Youth Leadership Award
Presented to: Amaya Emler, Central High School
Presented by: Quartell Roberson
The William “Bill” Coleman Leadership Award
Presented to: Courtney Chambers, Western Technical College
Presented by: The William “Bill” Coleman Family
The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 2026 Leadership Award
Presented to: Vincent Hamilton
Presented by: Henry Greengrass
These honorees remind us that Dr. King’s legacy continues through everyday acts of courage, service, advocacy, and love in action.
2026 Youth Nominees
We also celebrate the youth nominees recognized as part of the 2026 MLK Community Celebration.
These young leaders represent courage, promise, creativity, and hope for the future of our community.
AVA BOWMAN
CHLOE DRURY
WILLIAM FLOTTMEYER
ABIGAIL HOLTHE
DE’AHJANAYA MALONE
EMYA MARTIN
BROCK NEEDHAM
EMMA RAYMUS
RUBEN SMITH
MALIK THOMPSON
DULCE TINOCO VAZQUEZ
NOU QU YANG
Past MLK Leadership Award Honorees
We also celebrate the youth nominees recognized as part of the 2026 MLK Community Celebration.
These young leaders represent courage, promise, creativity, and hope for the future of our community.
Roberta Stevens — 2009
Thomas Harris — 2010
Andrea Hansen — 2011
Maureen Freedland — 2012
James Parker — 2013
William Coleman & Dempsey Miller III — 2014
Barbara Stewart — 2015
Nahoua “Tony” Yang — 2016
John Medinger — 2017
Nathaniel “Nate” Coleman, Jr. — 2018
Shaundel Spivey — 2019
Tracy Littlejohn — 2020
Amanda Goodenough — 2021
Antoiwana Williams — 2022
Bridget Todd-Robbins — 2023
Will Van Roosenbeek — 2024
Vincent Hamilton — 2026
Planning Committee
The MLK Community Celebration is made possible through the leadership, care, and collaboration of community volunteers, partners, sponsors, and committee members.
We are grateful for the people and organizations who give their time, wisdom, and energy to help carry this celebration forward.
Current Committee:
Antoiwana Williams
Maureen Freedland
Richard Kyte
Willem Vanroosenbeek
John Horman
Quartell Roberson
Vanessa DaughterofLois
Jill Miller
Ashley Nowak
Anouk Goreta
Keith Knutson
Lauren Harris
Bridget Todd Robbins
Laura Abellera
Committee Chair:
Dr. Carolyn Colleen Bostrack
Looking Ahead to 2028
Planning for the 2028 MLK Community Celebration will continue after the 2027 event.
Details about the 2028 celebration, nominations, sponsorship opportunities, community tables, and ways to participate will be shared in the future.
Together, We Continue the Work
Dr. King’s legacy calls us beyond remembrance and into action.
Whether you attend the celebration, nominate a leader, sponsor the event, host a community table, share the invitation, or stay connected to the work, you are part of continuing the vision of the Beloved Community.
The work continues through courage.
The work continues through service.
The work continues through love in action.
Nominate a Leader
Know someone who reflects the values of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through service, courage, justice, and love in action?
Each year, community members nominate individuals whose leadership and sacrifice make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.
Award categories include:
✔ Youth Leadership Award
✔ College Leadership Award
✔ MLK Community Leadership Award
Help us recognize those who continue Dr. King’s legacy through how they lead, serve, and care for our community.
Host a Community Table
Organizations, nonprofits, schools, faith communities, and community partners are invited to host resource tables during the celebration.
Resource tables provide an opportunity to:
✔ Share services, programs, and opportunities
✔ Connect with community members
✔ Highlight work rooted in service, justice, and community care
✔ Strengthen relationships across our community
Hosting a table is one way to help carry the work forward and connect people with resources that support dignity, hope, and action.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
We are grateful for the sponsors and community partners who help make the MLK Community Celebration possible.
Your support helps create a meaningful, accessible, and welcoming celebration that honors leadership, uplifts youth, and strengthens the ongoing work of building the Beloved Community.
GREATER LA CROSSE AREA DIVERSITY COUNCIL (GLADC)
COULEECAP, INC.
CONGREGATION SONS OF ABRAHAM
SCHOOL DISTRICT OF ONALASKA
MARINE CREDIT UNION
GREAT RIVERS UNITED WAY
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
TRUST POINT
UWL FOUNDATION
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of La Crosse
Continue the Work
Dr. King’s legacy lives through the choices we make, the courage we practice, and the community we build together.
Join us on Monday, January 18, 2027, as we honor the leaders, young people, and community members carrying that work forward.