San Diego College of Continuing Education (SDCCE) will join hundreds of participants in celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the 44th annual MLK Parade on Sunday, January 18, 2026, at 11 a.m. along the Embarcadero on Harbor Drive.
This year, SDCCE’s parade float designed and built by the college’s welding students and faculty will feature the theme “Hope in Action: A Dream Still Unfolding.” Central to the float is a giant unfolding pop-up book depicting Dr. King’s Dream, crafted from metal and other materials. The 30-foot-long, 9-foot-wide float also includes three additional moving elements: rotating crowds, descriptive flags, and colorful motion banners, creating a dynamic and visually striking experience for parade spectators.
One of the students helping to fabricate the float is Rodney L. Fowler Sr., 64, a lifelong resident of Southeastern San Diego and retired City of San Diego employee. Growing up near Valencia Park, just two miles from SDCCE’s Educational Cultural Complex, Fowler witnessed firsthand the changes in his neighborhood over the decades. He still remembers his seventh birthday coinciding with the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., an event that shaped his understanding of civil rights and systemic inequities.
Now retired, Fowler finally has the time to pursue a long-held goal: learning welding at SDCCE, a skill he has wanted to master for 40 years while balancing work and family responsibilities. He will help design this year’s parade float and march alongside students and faculty in celebration of Dr. King’s legacy. As President and Chief Steward of AFSCME Local 127, Fowler has spent decades advocating for fair wages, benefits, and safe working conditions for skilled trades employees.
“The Educational Cultural Complex has always been a beacon of hope for our community,” Fowler said. “Dr. King’s vision was about education and opportunity for all, and this parade gives me the chance to give back, honor that dream, and celebrate a place that continues to uplift generations of students.”
Media interviews are available on the morning of the parade from 10 to 11 a.m.
The public is invited to march together with SDCCE and the San Diego Community College District during the parade. Participants are encouraged to RSVP.
SDCCE’s Educational Cultural Complex Theatre has long been a hub for activism and education, celebrating civil rights leaders, including Coretta Scott King, Stevie Wonder, and Maya Angelou, and is now undergoing a $65 million dollar renovation including $35 million in state grant funds.