This Martin Luther King Jr. Day, EYRC sponsored L.A. Works' 2023 MLK Day of Service at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. This year's volunteer action centered around food and environmental justice, highlighting the disproportionate impact of climate disruptions on Black, Brown, Indigenous and low income communities.
After attending an all-ages nonprofit fair and a discussion panel on unheard voices in the climate justice movement, EYRC volunteers helped assemble urban greening starter kits which will serve South LA school programs and various youth centers. Together with other volunteer groups, over 2,100 planters were built in one afternoon. Another group assembled disaster starter kits, which will be distributed door-to-door by teams of volunteers as well as to nonprofit partners.
"At the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in 1964, Dr. King passionately and persuasively addressed 15,000 Angelenos on the issues of race relations and human dignity," L.A. Works Executive Director Deborah Brutchey told participants. "This year, L.A. Works continues our long tradition of honoring Dr. King’s legacy by welcoming you to take collective action in the fight for food and climate justice."
"There is nothing better, no better way to honor his legacy than to do what you're doing here today," said Mayor Karen Bass in a keynote speech. "The spirit of helping other people is exactly how we should celebrate his birthday."