Update: The Keep Alive the Dream organizers have postponed the 39th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute at Highland Christian Center due to inclement weather conditions. People are invited to attend the rescheduled event on Saturday, February 17th, at 7600 NE Glisan Street. The program begins at 1 p.m., with the Victory Village opening at noon. This will shift the Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration to coincide with Black History Month.
Original Article published January 9th, 2024
For over a decade, Montavilla’s Highland Christian Center has hosted the annual Keep Alive the Dream tribute to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on his federally recognized holiday. This 39th occurrence will take place at 7600 NE Glisan Street starting at noon on January 15th with the opening of the Victory Village marketplace. Performances and speakers will begin at 1 p.m. and continue until 4 p.m. Everyone is welcome to attend the event with a suggested donation of $5 or 5 cans of non-perishable food items.
Since 1976, the World Arts Foundation has celebrated Oregon’s African-American community through Keep Alive the Dream. It is a family-friendly event that honors pioneering activists, community leaders, artists, musicians, and youth. This year’s speakers include Dr. James Mason of Care Oregon, George Hocker, and Lifetime Achievement awardee Ken Boddie from KOIN News. Musical performances by the MLK All-Star Band, under the direction of Charlie Brown III, will entertain attendees between speakers.
This year’s Executive Producer, Kevin Berry, is in his second year running Keep Alive the Dream. Last year, he ran it with his cousin, Sandra G Wadsworth. Before that, Kevin Berry’s brother, Ken Berry, produced the annual tribute. Wadsworth passed away last September, leaving Kevin Berry in charge with the help of her daughter, Jasmine Wadsworth, and several other committed community members.
Past years have drawn upwards of 800 people to this event throughout the day. People are expected to come and go during the four hours of programming, and organizers encouraged them to explore the vendors and tabling organizations in the Village. “Everybody is welcome, if you come out you will enjoy the program and it’s something that, if you’ve never been, it’s definitely something that you should attend,” said Kevin Berry.
Starting at noon next Monday, guests can purchase food from Le Bontemps Café & Catering and visit Victory Village booths. An hour after that, the structured programming will begin. XRAY radio will again broadcast Keep Alive the Dream at 91.1FM, 107.1FM, or xray.fm for those who can not attend in person. Attendees should park on the street, take transit, or walk to the Highland Christian Center on NE Glisan.
