LYNN HAVEN, Fla. (WMBB) — The Delta Sigma Theta Sorority is one of several organizations that set up a booth at the 35th Annual A-Cure MLK Day festival at Sharon Sheffield Park in Lynn Haven. They’re the largest majority-black sorority in the nation.
One of the 350,000 members, Darnita Rivers, said they had an important message to share.
“When the kids come up, we want them to know that there was a civil rights movement, there was someone who was called by God and led to formulate diversity, and inclusiveness and equality for human beings,” Rivers said.
January 15th is Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. The third Monday in January is always the time when America celebrates and recognizes his contributions to society.
“King didn’t always do stuff for black people,” Festival booth coordinator George H. Hines Jr. said. “He did stuff for all people and that’s what we want them to realize and celebrate. It’s a day on, not a day off.”
Several of the festival-goers like Lynn Haven City Commissioner Jamie Warrick used the holiday to learn from some of the local organizations.
“It’s awesome,” Warrick said. “It’s great working together and just treating each other as equals.”
Attendees also had the opportunity to get food from various local food trucks, shop at local black-owned businesses like the Bling Bling Boutique and admire some of the locally painted artwork.
Danita Rivers said the most important thing they could do on this day is to serve others.
“Our seed is to sew into the lives of others and then we reap the benefits,” Rivers said.
Click here for a link to learn more about the sorority.
