Community invited to Jan. 16 Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade
The community is invited to take part in Port St. Joe ‘s annual commemorative Walking Together Parade Celebration, in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, Jan. 16.
The parade begins at 10 a.m. EST at the Port St. Joe City Hall, followed by a motorcade.
“This year’s theme is ‘It Starts with Me,’” said Cora McNair Curtis, one of the parade’s organizers. “Transforming into a beloved community by putting the dream into action.”
“Our mission is to empower our people, and our community to create a peaceful, humane, equitable, and just society in which we live. By putting Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream into action, we go beyond words. This will enable us to live, play, work, and worship together, all on one accord.”
Line-up begins at 9 a.m. EST. The parade will make its way down Reid Avenue, make a right on First Street, across Dr. David B. Langston Drive, down Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, and end at Avenue G. Free shuttle rides will be available.
A program will immediately follow at the Washington High School gymnasium featuring keynote speaker Dr. George David Jr. and musical performances by Same Ol G. Free food and shuttle rides will be provided.
For additional information, please contact Curtis at (850) 890-6563. The Freedom Exchange Foundation, Inc., who help organize the event, is a 501(c)3 organization and all contributions are greatly appreciated. Please make all checks payable to Freedom Exchange Foundation and mail to P.O. BOX 1372, Port St. Joe, FL 32457-1372.
Meet the Editor
Wendy Weitzel, The Star’s digital editor, joined the news outlet in August 2021, as a reporter covering primarily Gulf County.
Prior to then, she interned for Oklahoma-based news wire service Gaylord News and for Oklahoma City-based online newspaper NonDoc.com during her four years at the University of Oklahoma, from which she graduated in May with degrees in online journalism and political science.
While at OU, Weitzel was selected as Carnegie-Knight News21 Investigative Fellow among 30 top journalism students from around the country. She also was senior editor managing a 12-person newsroom in coordination with Oklahoma Watch, a non-profit news organization in eastern Oklahoma.