Hundreds honor the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. at Merced Unity March
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- Hundreds marched in Merced for the 29th annual MLK Unity March and rally.
- Local leaders and performers emphasized racial justice, economic equity, unity.
- Speakers linked King’s civil rights legacy to economic justice and current issues.
On Monday morning, hundreds gathered in downtown Merced for the 29th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Unity March in honor of the Rev. King, the American civil rights leader who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.
Just before 10 a.m., in the thick morning fog, the sounds of chatter, marching bands warming up and remixes of King’s “I Have a Dream” speech echoed across Martin Luther King Way, by the Amtrak station.
“Unity is important,” said Virginia Riley, one of the first marchers to arrive. “Coming together is important. Where there is unity, there is strength … and that’s what Martin Luther King did. He put God first, and then he led the people.”
By 11 a.m., hundreds of Mercedians, including public school students, community leaders and elected officials, were assembled for the march. Merced County NAACP President Allen Brooks welcomed people to the event and invited U.S. Rep. Adam Gray, Mayor Matthew Serratto, Chief of Police Steven Stanfield and Supervisor Daron McDaniel to address the crowd.
Among the crowd, members of nonprofit group Cultiva Central Valley stood out in matching black shirts and pink accessories. The group focuses primarily on protecting the rights of immigrant farmworkers, but Executive Director Claudia Corchado said, “We have to unify to combat all of the injustices that we’re seeing to our most vulnerable communities. Those that can’t fight back don’t know how to fight back. … It is so important now more than ever that we unify. So we try to come out here every single year, support this event.”
When the march began moving, shortly after 11 a.m., the streets filled with people holding hand-painted King signs, nonprofit organization members in matching outfits, and school students in band and cheerleading uniforms. The throng of people stretched down Martin Luther King Jr. Way to the Merced Theatre on Main Street, where food vendors were waiting behind the theater to meet them.
After a break for snacks and photos, people filed into the auditorium where local organizations had set up tables in the lobby. In the auditorium, Brooks along with Unity March organizer Jerome Rasberry took the stage to emcee for an afternoon of musical performances.
The first performance was a dance by Weaver Middle School students set to Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror.” They were followed by performances by Herencia Hispana of Atwater, local churches and Hmong blossom dancers.
While the planned keynote speaker, Allen Huddleston, was unable to attend the event, Yvonnia Brown gave a rousing speech highlighting King’s legacy of advocating not only for racial justice but also for economic equity.
“Today we pause … to remember a man whose impact cannot be measured by statistics alone, a man whose life altered more than the direction of a nation and continues to challenge the conscience of the world,” said Brown, CEO and president of Serenity Health Services. “Immeasurable” was the theme of this year’s march.
“Many people remember Dr. King for the civil rights,” she continued, “but his vision was far broader than (that) he spoke boldly about economic justice, poverty and equality.”
After more performances and a short break, Assemblywoman Esmeralda Soria spoke.
“As we reflect on Dr. King’s life and leadership, we are reminded of the power of his dream, a dream rooted in unity, equality and opportunity for all,” Soria said. She compared the circumstances in which King fought for civil rights to the current state of the United States.
“It lives on in communities like ours, where everyday people ... continue to push for fairness, opportunity and dignity. Dr. King taught us that the fight for civil rights is inseparable from the fight for economic justice, educational opportunity and basic human dignity.
“He challenged us … to understand that injustice is not someone else’s problem. It is a shared responsibility we’re all called to confront. Yes, and the call is especially urgent today. We are living through a moment where before our very eyes, hard-won human rights are being rolled back …People are being detained, in many instances, kidnapped, even U.S. citizens, by masked and unidentified federal agents. It is a reality that echoes the controls that … targeted black Americans before the Civil Rights Movement.”
After the speeches , Unity March organizers Rasberry, Tamara Cobb and Wanda Patrick presented awards to members of the community who contributed toward their vision for Merced in the past year.
They issued four awards: the spirit award to Dorothea “Lynn” White, the Guardian of the Peace Award to Merced Police Sgt. Nathan McKinnon, the Economic Empowerment Award to the Black Chamber of Commerce, and the Legacy of Service Award to Alexandria Marquez.
The day ended just before 3 p.m. “I think the ‘Immeasurable’ program for 2026 was out of this world,” said Rasberry, who has planned the event for the past 10 years.
“It just shows how much this community loves each other and the determination that we have to allow us to move through diversity, equity and inclusion in this community.”
