Aurora To Host 41st MLK Day Ceremony, Keynote Speaker Announced

AURORA, IL — Aurora will celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day with its 41st annual ceremony, featuring workshops, awards and speeches.

Ahead of the event, beginning at 6 p.m. Jan. 19 at East Aurora High School, 500 Tomcat Lane, the city announced who the keynote speaker will be: Stacy Davis Gates, the president of the Chicago Teachers Union.

Davis Gates, a former high school social studies teacher, has been "instrumental in building a movement that connects labor organizing to the broader fight for community well-being and structural change," city officials said.

"Davis Gates is a dynamic speaker who brings courage and clarity," Aurora Deputy Chief of Staff Nicholas Richard-Thompson said in a statement. "Her fearless leadership and commitment to the 'common good' approach to organizing make her the ideal voice to help us reflect on King’s legacy of labor advocacy and our current struggle for structural justice."

Each year, the city presents several awards on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and this January will be no different. The MLK Youth Liberation Awards will honor students for their advocacy and leadership, and the Donna J. Williams MLK Service Awards will be presented to residents who exemplify a radical service ethic.

The event will also include educational workshops about King's legacy and philosophy, as well as youth and adult performances from local choruses and artists.

"For over forty years, the City of Aurora has gathered to commemorate the birth and mission of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.," city officials wrote in a news release. "The event serves as a call to action for residents to promote justice, elevate human dignity, and strengthen neighborhoods through service and advocacy."