TAMPA, Fla. (WFTS) — Along Sligh avenue, yellow safety vests fill the streets Monday, collecting bag after bag of trash.
Chaikirah Parker, founder of African American Muslim Alliance of Tampa said it's the second time the organization came together to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It's the first time they decided to make it a day of service.
"It's so important because just a few actions can really change and make a difference in somebody's life. And I think that's what MLK did," she said.
Members of the African American Muslim Alliance of Tampa spent the day giving back to the community. More than a dozen people joined a community clean-up.
"We can't just sit down. We wouldn't be here. Me as an African American, Muslim, black woman wearing a hijab, I would not be here had it not been for the efforts and the teachings of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Our community represents different nationalities, different languages. We are an embodiment of what Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream was," Parker said.
A dream that people of different races, nationalities, faiths, and so much more could come together as one. It's a dream Parker is waiting to see become a reality.
"I think that one of the best ways for us to fight Islamophobia is for us to be more visual, and for us to educate and people know that we have more in common than things that we don't have in common," she added.
MLK Day is the only federal holiday that is also designated by congress as a national day of service. It was created in 1994 through legislation co-authored by elected civil rights leaders, former Pennsylvania U.S. Senator Harris Wolford and Georgia U.S. Rep. John Lewis.
The Day of Service is a historic movement Hiba Rahim wants her children to remember. it's why she brought her children out to volunteer with the cleanup. Even beforehand, the car ride served as a learning moment.
"Our family tradition we like to listen to the momentous speeches that were given. And the speech we were listening to was 'Silent No More 1967', a speech given to the sanitation workers," Rahim said.
Her daughter, Aamina Al-Yahia, sees the lesson as foundational building blocks.
"It really sets a precedent for our future that builds a generation of strong leaders who are constantly serving others and working for a better environment," she said.
Across the bridge, other parents used St. Pete's MLKParade to teach their children. Like mother Tekila Strong.
"I brought my children out here today because it's very important for them to learn about what he did and keep the dream alive," she explained.
A dream these families aren’t putting to rest. Hoping MLK’s lessons continue for generations to come.
