There was singing, dancing, unity, and joy Sunday night as five couples were honored for continuing the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King at Embrace Boston’s third annual Embrace Honors MLK event.
“This feels like a family reunion meets Fourth of July barbecue times Juneteenth,” Embrace Boston President and CEO Imari Paris Jeffries said of the annual Sneaker Gala. “You know there’s all kinds of ways we can celebrate MLK and one of the ways that we think is important is joy.”
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey was among hundreds who came out to Big Night Live Sunday night to celebrate the enduring legacy of the couple that met right here in Boston and to pay tribute to the night’s honorees, which this year included former Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker and First Lady Lauren Baker; Former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick and First Lady Diane Patrick; Sandra Borders and John M. Borders III; Jill Medvedow and Richard Kazis; and Dr. Thea James and Rev. Irene Monroe.
“It’s always such an important day and important weekend. I think this year especially it’s so important that people come together in joy and in support of all that is good,” Healey said. “To be here tonight to recognize and help honor some fantastic people, couldn’t have a better way to begin MLK Day.
“Obviously Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King were an amazing couple, and I’m a big believer, and I know Lauren is, too, that no one ever succeeds on their own,” Charlie Baker said.
“It’s amazing to be honored together,” Duval Patrick said. “We have had the blessing of being recognized in various ways.”
“It’s finally going to put Boston on the map as an inclusive city, and I’m glad to be part of it,” Diane Patrick said.
“Celebrating the legacy of MLK and recognizing that we know that the next couple of years might be a bit challenging but we’re ready, we are ready,” said Traci Griffith, the director of the Racial Justice Program. “We are hopeful. We are determined. We are working towards equity and that’s what it’s about.”
Guests were encouraged to express their individuality by pairing their finest formal attire “with their flyest pair of sneakers for a night of elegance, self-expression, and fun.”
The event was expected to also feature food, cocktails, live performances, special moments, and a few surprises.
Embrace Boston
Jan 17
Embrace Boston hosts 3rd annual Embrace Honors MLK
Jan 15
What is the Embrace Honors MLK Sneaker Gala and how does it celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day?
Boston Business Journal
Jan 17
Embrace Boston unveils honorees for MLK event