Honoring Dr. King's Legacy
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From Compassion to Action, Toward a Brighter Tomorrow
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The annual MLK Community Celebration includes activities over multiple days that offer several ways to get involved and honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
This event is an opportunity for the Central Minnesota community to come together, engage in conversation and share time together while honoring Dr. King’s dream.
Join us for the 2026 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Celebration
Monday January 19, 2026
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We invite you to partner with us by donating items needed for individuals experiencing homelessness at any of our events. Additional information is available on the Community Empowerment and Support page. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​
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Keynote Speaker MLK Breakfast 2026
Dr. LaDonna Butler


Dr. LaDonna N. Butler is a nationally recognized healing artist, cultural strategist, and mental health leader shaping the future of community wellbeing at the intersection of healing, civic life, and systems change. Grounded in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s call to act with the fierce urgency of now, Dr. Butler advances a vision of healing as essential public infrastructure—critical to safety, belonging, and a functioning democracy. Her work centers the belief that communities thrive when care, truth-telling, and joy are treated as collective responsibilities rather than private burdens. As founder of The Well MN Counseling & Consulting, Dr. Butler has built scalable, community-rooted initiatives—including Healing While Black®, The Blackest Table, A Tiny Gallery Experience, and A Brunch of Us™—that translate lived experience into durable civic practice. A founding member of SPHERE, she was commissioned to lead the region’s National Day of Racial Healing, designing an immersive, participatory model grounded in story, movement, and reflection. Her work has been featured by TIME, The New York Times, and NPR. Dr. Butler serves in leadership with the Minnesota Counseling Association and is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She brings national perspective and local commitment to the work of strengthening communities—not only for the moment, but for the generations to come.
Contests, Awards, and Events
Take part in our fun events!
The Humanitarian Awards elevate groups or individuals of all ages who are largely unrecognized for their
innovative service or community outreach in our surrounding area. The awards celebrate those who live the
idea of MLK every day as well as who inspire us and incorporate service in their lives in ways that are
unexpected or filled with care. All age ranges accepted, including students.
“Our goal is to create a beloved community and this will require a qualitative change in our souls. as well as a quantitative change in our lives.” ― Martin Luther King Jr.

Celebrate Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by submitting visual art, an essay, or a spoken word piece inspired by his work. St Cloud, Sauk Rapids, and Sartell students are invited to creatively express their thoughts and reflections on his legacy. Work will exhibit and awards will be announced at the Annual MLK Celebration, January 19, 2026.
This year’s event theme is, The Fierce Urgency of Now. Inspired by his “I Have a Dream” speech and “Beyond Vietnam,” this theme calls for immediate action against injustice.
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The contest entries will be guided by the quote,
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“We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today.
We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now.”

Other Events
MLK Family Day at Great River Children’s Museum
January 17 @ 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Great River Children’s Museum is proud to partner in celebrating MLK Family Day with a FREE Day of Play for families on Saturday, January 17, 2026, in observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Special MLK Family Day Programming Includes:
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The Dream Wall Community Mural
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Words That Moved MLK: Quote Scavenger Hunt
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Dream Big Storytime
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Solidarity Snack Making in the Teaching Kitchen
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Unity Circle Demonstrations
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MLK Day gameday and alumni day, January 17th, 2PM
SCSU vs. Duluth, Men's Basketball,
SCSU campus, Free admission with a canned good donation.
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MLK Spirit Day: The Spirit Sings
Sunday January 25th, 4:15 pm
​Multi-faith Celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy. Hear the church choirs across our community.
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Financial Empowerment Workshops
Canceled Due to Weather
Thurs Jan 22 & Thurs Jan 29th
2:00 - 4:00 PM
St. Cloud Public Library Bremer Room 104
1300 W St. Germain, St. Cloud, MN 56301






