Hundreds of people celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Fort Myers and Naples.
In Fort Myers, the celebration started with a march along Martin Luther King Boulevard, and it ended at the Caloosa Sound Amphitheater at Centennial Park.
Attendees and performers told NBC2 that it's an honor to celebrate the man who led one of the important movements in American history.
"God used him in my life to for me to be -- become a really good speaker, so he really inspired me," said Greg Jackson, City Takers Southwest Florida pastor. "My mother couldn't read or write, so just seeing the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, it really inspires a lot of people."
Jackson gave a powerful speech at Centennial Park in honor of MLK.
"It means a lot. The same streets I grew up in and caused a lot of problems, and it's a blessing to be a part of the solution and minister hope."
The park was filled with eating, dancing and hugging. People spread love to each other and the man who impacted American history.
Rashean Smith, who performed with Dunbar High School, said he was grateful to perform in honor of MLK.
"Martin Luther King really did something for not only the community but something globally that there's not probably a chance another person will be able to do," Smith said. "I feel like this is a good thing that we're doing here."
Cambier Park in Naples also honored MLK with its 28th annual MLK parade.
Jackson said we should not just celebrate MLK today, but every day.
"We have to live every day like this," he said. "It's all about us coming together. That's what America is supposed to be about. Unity. True unity. Change starts with us."
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