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Orlando MLK parade honors, remembers Civil Rights leader
The annual holiday parade bought thousands to downtown Orlando
ORLANDO, Fla. - Cold winds whipped through downtown Orlando on Saturday, as the city's annual Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Parade marched down Orange Avenue.
"Oh it's freezing! It's about 40 degrees, I believe," said Shantele Bennett, who was watching the parade. "But even though it was 40 degrees I decided that wasn't going to stop me from making sure I remember some people that have fought for us and brought us through what we've been through."
In remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s life and legacy, the Southwest Orlando Jaycees said they solicited a record number of participants for the holiday parade. The theme for the 2023 parade celebration is "It starts with me: Cultivating a Beloved Community Mindset to Break the Cycle of Injustice."
Organizers say they expected about 8,000 spectators to show up. Some of them talked about why they braved the cold to be there.
"Because as Orlando continues to get more diverse, we need to celebrate diversity, celebrate inclusion," said parade watcher Nicole Phillips.
Mayor Buddy Dyer said the civil rights icon's legacy was alive in The City Beautiful.
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"I think at least in Orlando, we're a city that embraces diversity, inclusion, and equality. We can always do better, but we know what we ought to be doing."
Rep. Maxwell Frost, the district's newest Member of Congress, talked about what Dr. King made possible.
"For a lot of the people we see here today to be able to be out here, celebrating it, talking about what equity and equality means for everybody here. He led with love and that's what I try to do in my work and what we see from a lot of the elected leaders here in Central Florida."
Organizers say they hope the celebration will remind attendees that "the most precious gifts in life... Must never be taken for granted."