The fifth annual Santa Clarita Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Unity Walk attracted a large crowd to Central Park in Saugus on Monday, Jan. 19. Attendees walked together as a community and in honor of King’s legacy.

The theme of the 2026 unity walk was “Mission Impossible 2: Building Unity” and attendees were encouraged to bring donations to benefit the nonprofit Bridge to Home shelter in Santa Clarita.

The event kicked off with a ceremony held in front of the “Cloud” sculpture inside the park and included speakers Santa Clarita Mayor Laurene Weste and the winners of the inaugural Martin Luther King Jr. youth essay contest.

The essay contest asked students to write on theme: “How Can Nonviolent Action Stegenthen Communities and Help Heal a Divided Nation?”

The invocation for the event was given by Rabbi Jay Seigel of Congregation Beth Shalom, Dr. Robert Cooper of Berean Baptist Family Fellowship, Rev. Christopher Montella of Stephen’s Episcopal Church of Santa Clarita and Imam Sami Haq of the Islamic Center of Santa Clarita.

After the invocation speakers the Valencia High School choir performed the national anthem.

As the ceremony portion of the event concluded the Valencia Christian Center Choir sang “Lift Every Voice” and the Bee Brave Children’s Ensemble who sang the “Bee Brave Song.”

After the ceremony finished, the crowd walked a path through Central Park where walkers could choose a 1.1-mile walk or a 0.6-mile walk.

The Golden Valley High School drumline headed up the line of walkers with Weste and Santa Clarita City Councilwoman Patsy Ayala in the lead.