Central Texas leaders mark 60th anniversary of March on Washington, launch equity initiative

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Monday marks the 60th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech that was delivered during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on Aug. 28, 1963. 

In Austin, a community event took place on the South Steps of the Texas State Capitol at 9 a.m. to celebrate the progress made since MLK’s speech while launching a new equity initiative.

The group is calling it Dream Together 2030, a goal to begin building a better future for Central Texas.

Several churches, nonprofits and local leaders are involved in the effort.

Greater Calvary Bible Church archbishop Sterling Lands is one of the organizers of this initiative.

“This movement is to go to 2030, where we want Austin to be the model for the rest of the nation as the beloved community,” he said.

Bianca Neal is the executive director of the SaulPaul Foundation. She says the group will work towards achieving a seven-year goal of positively changing the lives of everyone in the Austin area.

“It's a commemoration of MLK’s speech, a celebration of coming together and also the launch of something that’s activating our community,” she said.

The group is tackling a wide variety of issues. Trying to address access to quality early education, foster and adoption support, basic food needs, and other root causes that preclude entire communities from advancing to their fullest.

“Moving together as a community, communicating, collaborating, working together for a better, equitable and flourishing Austin,” Neal said.

After a series of speeches at the Capitol, the group will walk to Waterloo Greenway at 10 a.m.

At the Moody Amphitheater, there’ll be live music, guest speakers and some special surprises.

“We will have a number of signup booths and kiosks, so that people can sign up to become a part of this movement, this is historical,” Lands concluded.

To learn more about Dream Together 2030, you can visit its website.