Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. legacy celebrated at Miami parade
MIAMI - Miami-Dade County's Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Parade covered eight miles in four hours with thousands watching to celebrate Dr. King's life and contributions.
For Tammy Stringer, Catherine and Cathleen Keys, who have been watching the parade for decades, it is a deeply, personal tradition that continues to march forward.
"I always call Florida my piece of paradise and this is our piece of paradise because it's our tradition and it's from all of the things that we went through, all of the things that we couldn't do before and all of the people that fought for it," Catherine Keys said. "You couldn't go to the pool. We had our side of the pool at Virginia Key Beach. I remember that. So, it's a lot."
"Every year, I see the unity of cultures since the integration of the black communities," Stringer said. "I think it brings awareness to the community some of the things that need to be addressed in the black community whether its awareness with gun violence (or) literature that's available to the young people in the community."
"It's like nostalgia, you know, from all the smells from everybody cooking the conch salad, the barbecue and then to see everybody put on their best when they come through because they know they're in the parade and they know it's something to take pride in," Cathleen Keys said. "For me, this parade is like a good remembrance of where we were and how far we've come and like (Catherine) said how far we have to go. The police and the relationship with community, obviously, could be better. More communication could be had between the two parties."
Still, children in the parade did cartwheels while enjoying the time and chance to make their community proud.