Advancing the Dream in Arlington and Beyond

For 25 years the annual Arlington MLK celebration focused on sharing the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This year, the focus changed to advancing his dream.

Guests filled the UT Arlington Bluebonnet Ballroom for the Advancing the Dream Banquet Jan. 17, day one of this year's four-day MLK celebration.

Keynote speaker and chief political editor for TV One Cable Network, Roland Martin, turned the tables as he talked about how people must not forget the the entirety of Dr. King's dream - one of social and economic freedom.

"We love to talk about 'can we just get along until we get to the money,'" Martin said to the crowd."We are in a condition where we have two systems - the haves and the have-nots."

"How can we talk about economic equality when we want folks to have a renters mentality," Martin asked the crowd.

Martin told the audience it's a waste of time honoring Dr. King with banners and celebrations if we fail to carry out his dream throughout the year.

"All we are simply involved in is playing footsy with civil rights," he said to the audience.

Martin said these events should serve as yearly reminders as to what people are supposed to do throughout the year.

He told the crowd it is meaningless for people, especially those in authority, to have MLK events and come back with their cities in the same condition as the following year.

Martin told the audience there is a correlation between education and economics, and King understood the impact of how education can change the dynamics of a community.

Toward the end of his speech, Martin encouraged the audience to commit to being change-agents throughout the year.

As the ceremony came to an end, the audience stood and joined former mayor of Arlington Elzie Odom, in singing the closing hymn "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing:" 

View highlights from the 2014 MLK Celebration weekend