Tucson MLK parade falls on Trump’s Inauguration Day

Hundreds of members of the Tucson community came out Monday morning at Gene C. Reid Park to honor the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King in a commemorative march.

The 3.1-mile march around the park included members of churches, Divine Nine sororities and fraternities, Tucson Buffalo Soldiers and the Tucson chapter of the NAACP.

The annual event was held on the same day as Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States, which did not go unnoticed among the crowd.

“There is a juxtaposition that God ordained today,” said Carl Bedford of the Tucson Jazz Society. “There is an inaugutration in Washington, D.C., where none of the people are going to be represented, and it’s MLK Day celebrated nationwide by all of America’s people.”

Bedford’s opening remarks at the park’s bandshell were met with loud applause from the crowd. He closed with, “Make no mistake, this is a tipping point and you need to get involved.”

After the longtime MC of the event spoke, the march commenced and as it went, cars driving alongside would honk their horns and wave at those participating in a show of unity.

With the march taking place on the edge of busy streets such as Broadway, Alvernon Way and 22nd Street, the Tucson Police Department was there guiding the parade route.

“Not only are we here to keep everyone safe,” Police Chief Chad Kasmar said, “we’re here to forward the community’s perception of the Tucson Police Department.”

Kasmar shared that one of his favorite MLK quotes is, “The time is always right, to do what is right.” That’s the message he wanted to convey to the community.

A lot of people at the march were shocked to see TPD there and expressed that with Kasmar. He said that that sentiment is exactly why officers show up to events like these: to build that sense of community, which is their primary focus, and to also share more about what TPD is doing.

Kasmar also mentioned that with Monday being Inauguration Day, many people are curious and looking to Tucson to see how President Trump’s plans regarding immigration may impact their community.

The inauguration hung in the air but the community chose to focus on something else — a celebration of unity. During an event at the park’s bandshell after the march, there were musical performances, remarks from local leaders including Board of Supervisors member Adelita Grijalva, along with dance and step performances.

“It’s a historic day, I can recognize the importance of a presidential inauguration,” said Cheree Meeks, president of the Tucson NAACP branch. “But given how divisive this leader is, I’m choosing to spend my day here honoring someone who preached unity.”

It wasn’t lost on members of the historically black fraternities and sororities, often referred to as the Divine Nine, especially members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., that Kamala Harris could have been the person being sworn in Monday.

“Mrs. Harris’ run was huge for women’s rights and civil rights but it was also bigger than just AKA or Divine Nine. It showed us that anyone with the right backing can flourish. It showed us we can still come together, and that we’re still here and resilient,” said Nkechinyere Olumba, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha.