The heavy Santa Clarita fog early Monday morning rose off the nearby soccer fields at Central Park in Saugus as singer Kenneth Page sang “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” The song’s words, “Facing the rising sun of our new day begun, let us march on till victory is won,” rang out over a crowd of about 500 people who were gathered and ready to march in the name of justice, resilience and unity.  Kenneth Page sings “Lift Every Voice” during the Martin Luther King Unity Walk Ceremony on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, held at Central Park in Saugus. Katherine Quezada/The Signal The city of Santa Clarita hosted its annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Unity Walk, and Santa Clarita Mayor Bill Miranda praised participants for celebrating King’s legacy by promoting justice, kindness, respect and inclusion.  “It’s so wonderful to see such a large crowd here to honor such a large gentleman,” Miranda said. “Dr. King’s words remind us that no matter our challenges, our collective strength lies in the steps we take together, united in purpose and vision.”  The mayor added that the day’s celebration, which included the presence of many local leaders, people of all ages and from various communities, would largely recognize the area’s youth. They are, he said, the future generation of leaders who can make a difference in their schools, their neighborhoods and their city — not limited to one day, but every day of the year.  Santa Clarita Mayor Bill Miranda speaks to about 500 people during the Martin Luther King Unity Walk Ceremony on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, held at Central Park in Saugus. Katherine Quezada/The Signal Pastor Robert Cooper from Berean Baptist Church in Valencia offered words of invocation.  “Whoever invited me here today didn’t really understand the culture of church,” he said. “Because it is unfathomable to think that they would ask a Baptist preacher to limit his remarks to three to four minutes.”  Cooper then spoke about why the United States as a nation celebrates King, not just because he was a good man, he said, but because he was a soldier in the fight for equality and human dignity for all people.  He added that King not only made contributions to America, but also to the entire world.  “It only seems right and fitting that we pause as a country to reflect and to celebrate on his enduring contributions to the humanizing of all people,” the pastor said. “I remember, as a kid, sitting watching the television, watching Dr. King lead the Civil Rights Movement. I was a little young to really understand what was going on, but as I watched him on television, I watched him in the churches, I watched him marching in the streets, giving speeches, and all I knew was that he was someone that people loved, admired and respected.”  King’s message about hope, justice and community is one that’s stood the test of time, Cooper said, challenging the hearts and the minds of the people.   Cooper, who kept his words just under the four minutes he said he was allotted, concluded by saying that he believes the country, sadly, has once again become politically divided along the lines of race, creed, color, gender and social economics. MLK Day, he said, should be a reminder that people must come together in the face of that adversity.  “Today is a call to action,” he said. “We will march together as the city of Santa Clarita — as one people, one group, one community — to say that it’s time for us to move forward, to stand for that which Dr. Martin Luther King stood for: the right for all people.”  The Rev. Christopher Montella of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Santa Clarita said a prayer for those in attendance, asking for help to hear the call of King to do the work of eradicating racism, division and oppression.  From left: City Mayor Bill Miranda, Robert Cooper of Berean Baptist Church, and Rev. Christopher Montella during the invocation for the Martin Luther King Unity Walk Ceremony on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, held at Central Park in Saugus. Katherine Quezada/The Signal When together, Montella said, the people are stronger, placing relationship over exclusion, and love over hate.  “We gather as one community in all of our stunning diversity, united as part of one human family that you have lovingly crafted out of the dust of the heavens and the earth,” Montella said. “We ask your blessing upon all those gathered here today as we can come together to honor the life, work and witness of your servant and prophet, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.”  The Golden Valley High School choir sang the national anthem for those gathered there.   The Golden Valley High School Color Gaurd holds the American flag during the National Anthem at the Martin Luther King Unity Walk on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025 at Central Park in Saugus. Katherine Quezada/The Signal Valencia High School sophomore McKenzie Medland then delivered a speech about how she grew up with the understanding that freedom, justice and democracy are, unfortunately, not guaranteed. Those are values, she said, that require daily action, commitment, courage and nonviolence.  Valencia High School sophomore McKenzie Medland speaks during the Martin Luther King Unity Walk Ceremony on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, held at Central Park in Saugus. Katherine Quezada/The Signal “Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. showed us that nonviolence is more than just a strategy,” Medland told the crowd of people Monday morning. “It’s a way of life. His philosophy of ‘Nonviolence365’ challenges us to fight injustice without losing sight of our humanity. It’s about showing strength through love and not hate.”  A group of local children called the Bee BRAVE Ensemble — BRAVE, an acronym for Because Racism Affects Virtually Everyone — sang the “Bee BRAVE Song.”  Children of the Bee BRAVE Ensemble, a local movement aimed to improve relationships between various races and ethnic groups, sing the “Bee BRAVE Song” during the Martin Luther King Unity Walk on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, held at Central Park in Saugus. Katherine Quezada/The Signal Miranda then offered attendees two walks they could choose from: a shorter 0.6-mile walk, which he jokingly dubbed the “Mayor’s Walk,” and a longer 1.1-mile walk.  West Ranch High School’s drumline led participants on the walk around Central Park.  With the morning fog gone and the sun completely over the adjacent hills, the people walked around the park, meeting other members of the community, and sharing in harmony King’s message about how there’s more to gain by living together in peace than by living apart.  Community members participate during the Martin Luther King Unity Walk on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, held at Central Park in Saugus. Katherine Quezada/The Signal The post MLK Day walk invokes spirit of unity  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.