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Photos: Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade in L.A.

A member of the Barack Obama Global Preparation Academy marching band plays the tuba during Parade.
A member of the Barack Obama Global Preparation Academy marching band plays the tuba during the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade on Monday in Los Angeles.
(Kayla Bartkowski/Los Angeles Times)
By Kayla BartkowskiStaff Photographer 

The annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade took place in South Los Angeles on Monday morning, bringing together hundreds of people. The event, hosted by the Los Angeles Sentinel and Bakewell Media, celebrated the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The 2-mile parade started at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Western Avenue, then headed west on MLK to Crenshaw Boulevard, south on Crenshaw to Vernon Avenue, then east on Vernon and ended at Leimert Park Plaza, where the festivities continued.

Theresa Vaughn and Nakisha Smith cheer for the Inglewood High School Marching Band.
Theresa Vaughn, 56, left, and Nakisha Smith, 45, right, cheer for the Inglewood High School Marching Band during the parade.
(Kayla Bartkowski/Los Angeles Times)

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A member of the Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons of California walks during Parade.

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Zion See from Fontana holds a flag during the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade.

1. A member of the Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons of California walks during the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade. (Kayla Bartkowski/Los Angeles Times) 2. Zion See, 8, from Fontana holds a flag during the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026 in Los Angeles , CA. (Kayla Bartkowski/Los Angeles Times)

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The banner at the beginning of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade.
The banner at the beginning of the parade welcomes Los Angeles residents to the annual event.
(Kayla Bartkowski/Los Angeles Times)
Spectators reach out to grab candy being thrown.
Spectators reach out to grab candy being thrown.
(Kayla Bartkowski/Los Angeles Times)
Members of the Hollywood Highschool's L.A.C.E.R. Afterschool Program practice.
Members of the Hollywood High School L.A.C.E.R. Afterschool Program practice before the parade.
(Kayla Bartkowski/Los Angeles Times)
The Los Angeles-based AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) walks during the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade.
The Los Angeles-based AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) takes part in the parade.
(Kayla Bartkowski/Los Angeles Times)

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The Los Angeles Unified School District All City Honor Marching Band perform.

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Participants ride horses during the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade.

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Janae Owens plays with bubbles with Alayah Peterson during the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade.

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A drum line marches during the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade.

1. The Los Angeles Unified School District All City Honor Marching Band perform during the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade. (Kayla Bartkowski/Los Angeles Times) 2. Participants ride horses during the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026 in Los Angeles , CA. (Kayla Bartkowski/Los Angeles Times) 3. Janae Owens, 19, left, plays with bubbles with Alayah Peterson, 3, right, during the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade. (Kayla Bartkowski/Los Angeles Times) 4. A drum line marches during the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade. (Kayla Bartkowski/Los Angeles Times)

The Los Angeles Unified School District All City Honor Marching Band perform.
The Los Angeles Unified School District All-City Honor Marching Band performs.
(Kayla Bartkowski/Los Angeles Times)
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Kayla Bartkowski

Kayla Bartkowski is a photojournalism fellow at the Los Angeles Times. Originally from Rochester, N.Y., she graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology in 2024 with a degree in photojournalism and a minor in international relations. After college, she spent the summer as a photography intern at the Boston Globe, followed by six months in Washington, D.C., where she covered politics and breaking news as an intern with Getty Images. Her work is driven by a deep interest in stories that explore the intersection of climate and the human experience. Outside of journalism, Bartkowski loves spending time outdoors, hiking, climbing and traveling, as well as hanging out with friends and playing music.

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