SOCIAL SCENE
2026 MLK Youth Day
Taila Finney poses for a photo with her daughters, Malayah Smith, 2 months, and Jordyn Jackson, 9, during the Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Day at the Mary Sue Rich Community Center at Reed Place in Ocala, Fla. on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2026.
MLK Youth Day was held at the Mary Sue Rich Community Center at Reed Place in Ocala on Jan. 17 as part of the overall Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Commission events.
“We were proud to welcome over 200 plus youth and community members for a day intentionally designed to educate, empower and celebrate our young people,” said Dwanette Dilworth, Ph.D., one of the key organizers of the youth day event.
“Youth participated in a wide range of activities, including basketball, arts and crafts, face painting, games and raffle prizes. The day also featured great food and treats, including snow cones; as well as impactful youth speeches, a life-skills segments on how to tie a necktie, planting a garden, I have a dream, too; and beautiful praise dance performances that inspired and uplifted the audience,” Dilworth shared.
The Ocala Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., in partnership with Distinguished Gentlemen, supported the event by providing gift cards, backpacks, school supplies, snacks and drinks. The awesome Omega Psi Phi have provided hot dogs and hamburgers for the past five years. We were also grateful for the support of our Divine Nine partners, including Zeta Phi Beta, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta, Alpha Phi Alpha and Omega Psi Phi, she added.
“Overall, MLK Youth Day was a meaningful and successful event that reflected Dr. King’s legacy by investing in our future leaders and reinforcing the importance of service, unity and empowerment. Hats, off to a wonderful MLK Youth Team that made it a success,” Dilworth noted.
To learn about the Marion County MLK Commemorative Commission, go to fb.com/profile.php?id=100081906943501
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