Connection, Service, and Justice: Highlights From Natick's 21st Annual MLK Community Celebration
A morning of music, stories, and reflection—celebrating courage, creativity, and community while honoring Dr. King’s legacy together.
By Spark Kindness Team
Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Legacy
The 2026 MLK Day Community Celebration was a joyful, energizing morning filled with courage, creativity, and love. From student jazz performances to readings from The ABCs of Black History to powerful reflections, including Audi Lynch’s inspiring keynote, to concluding with uplifting music from Sound & Spirit, it was truly unforgettable.
We were grateful to gather with community members over coffee and conversation before the program and to see such generosity through donations supporting the Natick Service Council and A Place To Turn. Whether you joined us in-person or from home, the day was a meaningful reminder that together we are building an inclusive community where everyone belongs.
Below, you’ll find resources and upcoming events inspired by the celebration, including February’s StoryWalk in downtown Natick featuring The ABCs of Black History with recorded readings from our youth participants.
What if our beloved community wasn't just a phrase? What if it was a practice? What if it was a discipline? What if it was a fire that we all tended to in putting our world back together? I'm hoping that this time together is not just the moment, but somehow it sparks a movement. It's not just a memorial to celebrate a great man and his legacy, but there is a mobilization. Let us build something that looks like love and sounds like justice and moves like hope.
— excerpt from Audi Lynch's keynote
Re-Watch the Program Anytime!
- Thanks to our partners at Pegasus, you can view a recording of the 21st Annual MLK Community Celebration here!
- Access the program's digital program here.
- View the poetry and art from Middle School Creative Contest Winners here.
- Learn more about the 2026 Community Connection Partners here.
Additional Resources:
- View the Spark Kindness Little Free Diverse Library Book List here to explore new stories organized by category and grade level. Have a book suggestion? Submit it here!
- Past Spark Kindness Program: Social Justice Parenting with Dr. Traci Baxley
- Article: 4 Ways to Support Children in Processing Big Emotions about Race and Racism from Embrace Race
Get Involved:
- Explore how you can help make a difference at upcoming Community Action Meetings hosted by Natick Is United. Learn more.
- Stay updated with upcoming Natick Center Cultural District programs, including Juneteenth and Multicultural Day. Learn more.
Where do we go from here – deeper into relationships, deeper into truth, deeper into courageous action….So as you walk out of this gathering and back into your daily life, remember this, you are part of the antidote. You are already a builder of the beloved community. And together across race, class, gender, immigration, status, faith and politics, we can meet whatever is coming at us with courage instead of fear, justice in instead of silence, love in instead of cruelty. We may leave here. Not just inspire, but committed. The work is hard. The year ahead is uncertain. But united, we are more powerful than anything coming at us. Together we will keep building a community of justice and hope. Go in peace. And thank you for being here today.
— excerpt from concluding remarks of Myriam Hernandez Jennings
Downtown StoryWalk: Celebrate Black History Month
In recognition of Black History Month, everyone is invited to experience The ABCs of Black History and learn more about the people, places and ideas on the pages. You can find the StoryWalk in local businesses and municipal buildings throughout downtown Natick during February. Scan the QR code on each page to hear it read aloud by youth readers who participated in a community reading during the 21st Annual MLK Day Community Celebration.
Hosted by the Natick Center Cultural District, in partnership with the Natick MLK Dream Team, organizers of the Annual MLK Day program. Learn more here.
Learn More About This Meaningful Annual Event
View history of the annual MLK Community Celebration in Natick here, along with videos from past years!