Events › Youth Community Engagement Showcase

Honoring MLK Day, join us as we bring together local youth service organizations to share their stories of giving back in their communities. 

During the event, readings from Alameda County Youth Poet Laureates will uplift youth voices on themes of service. The Youth Poet Laureate serves as an ambassador to inspire civic engagement, social justice, cultural awareness, and literary excellence in our communities.

We'll begin the program at 11am with a screening of We Are the Dream: The Kids of the Oakland MLK Oratorical Fest. Heartwarming and inspiring, the 57-minute film presents a portrait of passionate young people presenting speeches on issues they care about – racial injustice, immigration and more – and a community that celebrates their powerful voices.

This event is framed in the context of Martin Luther King’s vision of the “Beloved Community”, a society where everyone is cared for and free from poverty, hunger, and hate, where political policies support the worldwide elimination of poverty and hunger, and all forms of bigotry and violence. By participating in service projects, we can bridge divides, heal wounds, and create lasting change that will benefit our communities for years to come.

We at AC Library care about your privacy. None of our live programs are recorded and none of the chat logs are saved. Everyone registered for an online program will receive the link to participate in a separate email before the program begins.

Library staff may take photos, videos, or audio recordings at our events. Please tell us if you do not wish to be photographed, video-recorded, or audio-recorded. We will always respect your requests! 

An ASL (American Sign Language) interpreter or closed captioning can be provided for this program if requested at least seven (7) days in advance. For assistance, please contact your library or accessibility@aclibrary.org.