Cal State Monterey Bay joins Seaside in honoring Martin Luther King Jr.

By Walter Ryce

On Jan. 19, hundreds of community members will gather at the corner of Noche Buena Street and Obama Way (aka Broadway Avenue) in Seaside for the annual tradition of marching across town in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the occasion of his federal holiday. 

Cal State Monterey Bay folks, including Da’ja Robinson, will be among them. 

Robinson, CSUMB’s community liaison for the Helen Rucker Center for Black Excellence, helped organize the march last year as a member of the Monterey County Black Caucus, which co-hosted the march with the city of Seaside.

She’s back this year on the planning team, working on the march, tabling and, most visibly, graphic design.

“I created the general MLK Day flyer that is broadly promoted, as well as the design of the ‘day of’ program,” Robinson said. 

The marchers will begin to gather at 11 a.m., and at noon will proceed to march – some chanting slogans or singing. The route will lead west on Obama Way, south on Fremont Boulevard, left on Hilby Avenue, finally arriving at Oldemeyer Center. There, marchers tend to mingle and take pictures before heading inside for a program of speakers, performances, organizations tabling, and food and drinks.  

The theme for 2026, which will be the 40th year of the event, is “Mission Possible II - Building Community, Uniting a Nation the Nonviolent Way.” The keynote speaker for the program is Dr. Debra Wilson, who provides ministry at Monterey County Jail, authored the book “Drop Your Fists & Raise Your Hands”, and owns Black Kafe coffee. 

Members of the CSUMB community, including President Vanya Quiñones and Associate Vice President Nizhoni Chow-Garcia of the Office of Community and Belonging, are expected to attend and bolster the ranks of the march.  

Together, the march and program present a meaningful gathering of diverse and friendly people united in common cause for justice and equality. It’s a cause that’s long been carried by community leaders who have passed on, such as former march organizer Alice Jordan and community activist and educator Helen Rucker. But the baton is being taken up by younger generations, many of whom, including Robinson, had close relationships with or were mentored by those departed pioneers. 

“I am a product of Seaside and since moving back in 2017, I have made a commitment to do my part in supporting the efforts of my mentors and elders [to] uplift and support the youth and do whatever I can to bridge the community together,” said Robinson. “I believe in leaving people, places and things better than I found them.”