The 25th Martin Luther King Youth Rally and March scheduled for Monday on the national holiday honoring the civil rights leader will have a different format than past years.
Instead of a march to the state Capitol for the "call to action" program, the program will be held at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln student union, followed by the march.
In honor of a quarter-century of youth rallies, the organizing committee held a months-long campaign leading up to Monday's events that followed the rally theme “Walk Together.”
The committee of young people from Lincoln and area schools asked community members to donate their shoes, along with a statement about their “walk” to promote kindness, equity, justice and civility. Some of those donors have hosted community presentations.
The theme represents individual journeys, but also the youth rally committee’s efforts to promote the life and dreams of King through positive youth actions, said Azcia Fleming, a Lincoln High School senior and chair of the rally committee.
As in past years, the pre-rally program will be in the Nebraska Union ballroom. Doors open at 8:30 a.m., the program begins at 9 a.m.
Activities include a “Living My ‘Walk’ Empowerment Wax Museum,” face painting by the Lincoln Southwest girls basketball team, a performance by the Lincoln High international drum group and a presentation by motivational speaker Jarell Roach, and the “I am somebody” pledge.
The "call to action" program will begin at 10:15 a.m. in the Nebraska Union's Centennial Room. The march will follow, at about 11:30 a.m.
For more information, go to or follow the organizers on Twitter @mlkrally93.
Marchers (from left) Jaden Ferguson, Sophia Olson and Azcia Fleming lead the 24th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Youth March toward the Capitol last year.