Martin Luther King Dream Kept Alive in Naples

The dream of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr was brought to life in Naples on Martin Luther King Day Monday as thousands of people gathered to honor the civil rights activist and his principles.  

King’s 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech and his lifelong work toward embracing diversity called for every person to have equal civil and economic rights and for an end to racism in the U.S. 

“He had a titan of a dream for us all and many of us have yet to be able to live up to that dream,” said Vincent Keeys, president of the NAACP Collier County.  

“Fortunately, enough, he had a vision, but we are a work in progress. We are still trying to achieve some of the goals Dr. King laid out for us,” Keeys said. 

Martin Luther King Day is a federal holiday observed on the third Monday of January each year since 1983 and is a day set aside for service and volunteering. 

“Our call to action is that this be a day of solidarity, a day for which we can put aside democrat or republican, or we can put aside all the petty differences we have and begin to appreciate the common DNA we have in all of us,” said Keeys. 

As marching bands, law enforcement, nonprofits and civil organizations, among others, paraded down Fifth Avenue South, families, friends, neighbors and visitors gathered along the sidewalk sharing history and family stories. Conversations included sharing experiences of discrimination and racism within families and lives, storytelling, history teaching, expressing celebration of human diversity and the interconnectedness of people and the environment.  

James Whipple, who's lived in Naples 40 years, said he’s attended the MLK celebration in Naples every year with his family. This year he was joined by his daughter and two of his grandchildren, twin five-year-olds Olivia Jade and Messiah James William.  

“I’ve been called everything but a child of God just for the color of my skin,” said Whipple, who recalled picking cotton from sun up to sundown in Georgia earlier in his life.  

Teaching black history is important to him, he said.  

Not far away was Lorine Robinson sharing the diversity within her family, who she described as mixed Korean, Filipino, Spanish, Italian and American Indian.  

“God created a beautiful bouquet,” said Robinson.  

She recalled Martin Luther King, Jr.  

“He stood up and said one day, black girls and white girls will be holding hands and it’s here,” said Robinson.  

And not far away, sitting on the curb playing with colorful ribbons were Mylah Blanco, 11, with friend Evie Stadler, seven, who both learned about MLK Day in school and even more at their church, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Greater Naples, they said.  

NAACP members Thamar Lundy Bastien and Joodlhy Charelus had the honor of holding the main banner for the event and shared what inspired them. 

“It’s just his willingness to make change no matter what obstacles might be in his way,” said Charelus. 

An older white gentleman held a sign saying, “I have a dream” and not far away was a teen, David Gamez who held a sign, “I share the dream,” and two seemingly told a story of diverse people honoring King’s principles.  

Gamez walked with the Shelter for Abused Women and Children and said he was aligned with King on the messages of nonviolence, including preventing dating violence.  

Quintella Moorer walked with her dog, a shar pei named Creed, visiting from West Palm to walk with friends of the Cleveland Bass Moving Company, which has been in business in Naples for 52 years as one of the first black-owned businesses.  

“I’m glad they’re doing this. Not every city has this,” said Moorer.  

The support inspired people of all ages as they gathered in Cambier Park following the parade for speeches, music, dance, awards, community service organizing, food and other vendors. 

“It’s amazing because you just see how the world has improved and how much he’s respected and we’re just glad to be a part of it,” said Kirah Severe, who joined a group of dancers performing on stage with the Assembly of the Rock Eternal, a church in Naples’ Bayshore area led by Bishop Jenny Carl Rools Ronald Joseph.  

Officials including Collier County Supervisor of Elections Melissa Blazier, superintendent of Collier County Public Schools Leslie Ricciardelli, City of Naples Mayor Teresa Heitman, Marco Island Police Chief Tracy Frazzano, Naples Police Chief Ciro Dominguez and Collier County Sheriff Kevin Rambosk among others walked in the parade and/ or spoke to the audience from the bandshell afterward. Trinity Life Foundation, Beyond the Field and Freedom Path were among numerous organizations offering unique ways to support community members, respectively supporting at-risk minority children, providing mentorship of young athletes and teaching economic skills for adults.  

The stage wasn’t just for politicians and performers, as children were invited for a dance-off that everyone seemed to win. 

Dominguez offered an honorary badge to Keeys remembering the first black police officer, Carl Strickson, who was killed in the line of duty within a month of being hired in 1954.  

Among the charismatic community leaders on the stage was Dr. Oliver Phipps, instructor of the Barron Collier High School drum line.  

The style is known for its flipping of the drumsticks and other flares. Phipps is also principal at Big Cypress Elementary School and reverend at Unity Faith Missionary Baptist Church in Golden Gate City. 

Phipps recounted times he took his students to predominantly black events.  

“One of the students said, ‘Don’t take this the wrong way, but I didn’t know there was this many black people in the whole world,’” Phipps recalled. 

Keeys reminded people that it’s going to take everyone coming together to make the world a better place.  

“We need to take up our hands and do something for our community,” he said.  

“Let us help mankind, let us improve relations, let us serve others who are less fortunate. Let’s do something that provides service over self,” Keeys said.