Lee County celebrates MLK Jr. with unity breakfast event

LEE COUNTY, Fla. — Southwest Florida came together to honor Martin Luther King Jr. with a unity breakfast at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre in Fort Myers.

The event celebrated the civil rights icon's legacy and aimed to foster community unity.

The 19th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Breakfast brought people from various backgrounds to reflect on how they are similar, not different. Attendees gathered to celebrate King's legacy and take steps toward a united future. 

State Rep. RaShon Young of Orange County was among the several speakers who addressed the audience, sharing messages of liberty, justice and unity.

People spoke with WINK News Reporter Sommer Senne about their reasons for attending the event.

"We don't have to do this alone," said Pastor Quay Crenshaw of Next Level Church. "It is hard out there, and it's even more important for us to do this as a group and as a community more than ever before."

Betsy Vaughn of the League of Women Voters emphasized the need for togetherness. "I think that people need to cast aside any of the hate or the feeling that we're not one people in the United States," she said. "We are Americans, and we need to pull together."

The event not only celebrated King's work but also served as a time for reflection, honoring his lasting impact on American history.

King, who was assassinated at 39 in Memphis, Tennessee, was later honored with a federal holiday by President Ronald Reagan, solidifying his legacy.

Proceeds from the breakfast are going toward college scholarships for Lee County seniors. Last year, the event raised more than $20,000 in scholarships, and this year, organizers hope to exceed that amount.