LAS VEGAS -- The nation came together on Monday to celebrate the life of slain civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Junior. Las Vegas is home to one of the biggest MLK parades in the country.
Thousands of people turned out in Downtown Las Vegas to take part or watch the 30th annual MLK parade. There were 145 entries this year which included marching bands, floats, youth sports and drill teams, and cruising cars.
The parade has become a centerpiece for several events including Dream Fest, which is a community festival that started this year to bring the community together. Dream Fest took place at Edmond Town Center and featured food, cultural events, a car show, and entertainment. It was organized by Ward 5 Councilman Ricki Barlow.
Dr. King believed in equal opportunity for everyone but some say there are Las Vegas school kids who are getting left behind when it comes to their education.
"We need to be out there in those at-risk schools, talking, training, teaching, and coaching," said Juana Jordan, state psychologist.
Jordan has been announcing the MLK day parade in Las Vegas since it started in 1982. She said King's legacy must live on in the opportunities given to children. She said that Las Vegas still tops the list in the number of high school dropouts and she would like to see that change.
Many parade goers said it was great to see so many students taking part in the MLK events and learning about the civil rights movement.
"It's good for us to see," said Mary Ellen Hampton, parade watcher.
