As our demonic clown-in-chief made his pompous and circumstantial way into the White House across the country, Santa Barbara’s always impressive MLK day celebration took place on Monday. More aptly reverential and peaceable tones were in order, along with some music-coated moments of joy.
As is the custom, the celebration began at De la Guerra Plaza and collectively marched its way up State Street to an elaborate Arlington Theater presentation. Young poets and essayists (including the moving peacemaker essay winner Husna Balaven) took to the stage, as did inspiring keynote speaker Dr. Lisa H. Sederis, who lavished praise on activist troublemakers MLK and Rachel Carson. She also urged action and vigilance, referring to MLK’s famous dictum, “The arc of the moral universe may lean towards justice, but it needs our help in fueling its progress.”
Due respects were also paid to the late great Sojourner Kincaid-Rolle, a pivotal poet/activist in Santa Barbara who passed away last year. And yes, all important musical sources punctuated the event, starting with the David Gorospe Trio (with bassist Santino Tafarella and drummer Tyler Hammond) supplying funk in the foyer and Rosalyn Collins’s stirring singing and backgrounding of the classic James Weldon Johnson 1900-vintage hymn “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” (Collins, a k a Sister Roz, whose KCSB show “The Experience,” is an airwave-blessing beacon of hope and gospel music goodness.)
In the event’s second half, we heard the be calming/spiriting sound of the West African–rooted Ewe Drummers of Santa Barbara, led by Sese Ntem, and a soulful take on Billie Holiday’s “God Bless the Child” by vocalist Tony Maddox, with Gorospe on keyboard.
Wendy Sims-Moten, president of the MLK Day board and leader of ceremonies, summarized the voices-lifted spirit of the day: “Let’s not get caught up in the irony of the day. We need to focus and get fired up.”