A Riverside church saluted the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. with a celebration that included speeches and performances.
The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Birthday Celebration was Sunday, Jan. 12, at Park Avenue Baptist Church on Riverside’s Eastside.
The guest speaker was Warren Stewart, the pastor of First Institutional Baptist Church in Phoenix who was involved in the campaign to get Martin Luther King Jr. Day recognized as a state holiday in Arizona. The Community Family MLK Choir also performed at the gathering.
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Karyn Young-Lowe was recognized as the recipient of the Humanitarian Award for her work as the founder of Lighthouse Social Service Centers, which provides shelter for homeless people, substance abuse treatment and housing for veterans. The award was presented by the Riverside Clergy Association.
Dignitaries who attended included Riverside Police Chief Larry Gonzalez, Riverside Fire Chief Steve McKinster, Riverside City Councilmembers Sean Mill, Chuck Conder and Philip Falcone and Riverside City Manager Mike Futrell.
