Pay tribute to the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through these events throughout Brooklyn. There are opportunities to volunteer, watch a play and eat healthy food to commemorate the late civil rights leader.
Saturday January 13
SEEDS IN THE MIDDLE Kids cook a free, fresh lunch with chefs at the Van Dyke Community Center, 392 Blake Ave. Includes juice, music and dance. 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Email: info@seedsinthemiddle.org or call 862-701-3858.
Sunday January 14
SHADES OF TRUTH THEATRE and Voza Rivers/New Heritage Theatre Group with 275 PARK presents "The Meeting," a play by Jeff Stetson. Starring Michael Green as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Michael Alcide as Malcolm X, the play is a fictional account of a secret meeting between two of America's best-known civil and human rights activists. Though Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X were men with different ideologies, both had a common understanding of the plight of Black Americans. 275 Park Avenue, 4 p.m. Tickets are online at www.275PARK.com or www.Eventbrite.com.
BROOKLYN CHILDREN'S MUSEUM has events on Sunday and Monday, including interactive puppet performances created by Nehprii Amenii, music and protest marching with Brooklyn-based musician Fyütch, and community art-making, including a collage project inspired by the work of artist Romare Bearden. In addition, on Monday only, Repair the World will lead a volunteer project where families will learn about the power of service work and take action to welcome migrants to NYC by packaging diapers and baby hygiene essentials. Also on Monday, authors Megan Madison and Jessica Ralli will join us for a special MLK Day storytime where visitors will explore age-appropriate ways to talk about race, racism, and a world without war. Tickets must be purchased beforehand.
WEEKSVILLE HERITAGE CENTER will dedicate a day to service and empowerment by and for young minds. Led by youth leaders from Beginning with Children, Girls for Gender Equity, and more, the Youth Justice Expo promises engaging conversations, community-driven activities, and impactful initiatives. 158 Buffalo Ave. 12 p.m.
Members of the BROOKLYN HEIGHTS SYNAGOGUE at 131 Remsen Street (between Henry and Clinton) will join the congregation of GRACE CHURCH, 254 Hicks Street (between Grace Court and Joralemon) for a service honoring Dr. King. Rabbi Serge Lippe, Senior Rabbi of Brooklyn Heights Synagogue and one of 2023’s BHB Ten, will give the sermon. The choirs of both the Synagogue and Grace will sing at the service.
HUNGER FREE AMERICA will host a volunteer opportunity: Build an Outdoor Cooking Station for Migrants, at Bushwick City Farm, Brooklyn. 10:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. Further details here.
Monday, January 15
BROOKLYN ACADEMY OF MUSIC
38th annual Brooklyn Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with keynote speaker—poet, lawyer, and Freedom Reads founder Reginald Dwayne Betts. The Tribute will feature inspiring musical performances by singer-songwriter Madison McFerrin and the award-winning choir Sing Harlem, led by Amaya Knoelle Higginson.Free, open to the public, and accessible via livestream on BAM.org (BAM lobby will open at 8am; seating is on a first-come, first-seated basis. BAM Howard Gilman Opera House, 30 Lafayette Ave. 10:30 a.m.
BAM KIDS has a family-friendly program that immerses young people in art forms that express the importance of acts of service both large and small. Carry on Dr. King’s legacy through collaborative banner-making, coloring, spoken word, and song. The Adam Space/Bam Cafe, 30 Lafayette Ave. 11:30 a.m.
UJA-FEDERATION OF NEW YORK’S annual MLK Day of Service hosts three events in Brooklyn.
Students will learn about combatting hate, hear from a Holocaust survivor and pack food for distribution on-site for at-risk families at the Edith and Carl Marks JCH of Bensonhurst, 7802 Bay Parkway. 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Assembly of care packages for children living in shelters at the Shorefront Y in Coney Island Ave. 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
With Repair the World, students will pack hygiene kits for Mixteca at the Hannah Senesh Community Day School, 342 Smith Street. 10 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
PLANT POWERED METRO NY is hosting a restaurant crawl in Crown Heights featuring whole food, plant-based menu items—an affordable and healthy alternative to the usual bodega junk food that so many communities of color are confined to. Participants will visit Crown Heights restaurants Ital Kitchen, Veggies Natural Juice Bar, and Ras Plant Based for select menu items. The walk begins with a meetup at the Medgar Evers College 2/5 Station (Eastern Parkway & Franklin Avenue). Registration is $5 and all pre-selected WFPB menu items will be approximately $10 or less. View full details and registration on the PPMNY website.
BROOKLYN MUSIC SCHOOL will host a special concert featuring our professional faculty and students as they perform a series of songs that inspire, uplift and honor Dr. King’s legacy. 126 Saint Felix Street, 5 p.m.
