Brazos Valley MLK March 2026
I have been to many marches in my life, some protests too. Back in the 2010’s when I was in San Antonio I attended the MLK March there and it was an amazing experience in and of itself, one the largest marches around, it was also super cold that year! But I learned a lot. Everyday I learn more and more that the more I know, the less I know and gain more wisdom daily from that. Meaning as time has gone on I have connected with what my own identity is and the positionality of it within the context of being a Texan and American. I still have so much to learn.
Existential? Yes, but one thing I have noted the whole time is that marches are about walking, they are about community, about an energy that the community builds at that moment in time, that year, with all the aura that is around in the community geographically, politically, socially and culturally.
So in 2026, with what 2025 has personally brought me and professionally, I knew I wanted to attend an MLK march. As noted in other blog posts, the world is in a tough spot. There are many who do not have voices right now, in all kinds of spaces and situations. I also wanted my son to experience a march as he had never been to one.
Another aspect was that we did have the privilege of experiencing the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee and that was awe inspiring. It was summer, so much was going on then. I love coffee and picked up an “I am a Man” mug which I regularly use.
Over the past couple months I have heard so many that are worried about the future, the future of America and the world. It too has consumed me at times. Though lately I have had a calmness about it all. Mainly because I know this is the time to stand up, to be proud of who one is, their history and their past, no matter whether you are part of a majority or minority. And just as importantly I know it is a time to be reverent to others. A quality I learned as an Scouting of America Eagle Scout.
So this year I looked up to see if Brazos county was having any events, which I assumed they would be and sure enough the 30th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Freedom March & Program popped right up and I was glowing with excitement. I am lucky we live in downtown Bryan, one of the most diverse areas in my opinion of Brazos county. Our family rides their bikes all over the area and so MLK street isn’t just something we drive on, but something we ride along, we walk on and we enjoy waving and seeing our neighbors.
I hit up my good friend Will Connor and decided to drink some coffee and eat some tacos at my house and along with Jojo head to the March. We showed up to Sadie Park and fell right into motion, seeing everyone getting ready for the march, people were parking all over and making their way to pavillon, local dignitaries and media were there as well and community leaders and organizers.
My son Jojo was nervous, he asked a ton of questions about what march is and I told him about how they are reverent community gatherings where people come together from all sorts of backgrounds to assemble in peace, practice their freedom of assembly and freedom of speech. Law enforcement were friendly and helpful.
Under the pavilion, the programming kicked off with an introduction by the organizer from Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and then a prayer and community information about the order of the march. It was great and they had the Bryan sanitation workers lead the way, a nod to the original march and one that I got to share with Jojo as we walked and about the coffee cup we had and the Museum we visited this summer. As we marched neighbors were out on the block waving and showing support which was great. We made our way from Sadie Park down MLK, across Texas and through downtown Bryan and across highway 21 to the Kemp Carver Academy. The march was 2.7 miles overall and the weather was amazing as it was in the high 50’s low 60’s! In Texas that is rare!
I have to say, this smaller march just felt so homey and peaceful. It was cool to say hi to everyone and strike up conversations, introduce ourselves and have everyone just be so friendly and supportive of each other.
Once we made it to Kemp Carver Academy, we all filed into the gymnasium for the programming. The programing was great with songs, performances, speeches and awards for K-12 students for their MLK themed essays. Leaders from Bryan ISD, College Station ISD, City of Bryan, City of College Station, County Commissioner and keynote speaker Danniele Andisa Johnson gave great speeches which I was able to capture.
Overall the event was amazing and a cause for me to realize how lucky our family is to live in Bryan, TX. The community is amazing. The leaders shared quotes from MLK and showed support for our diverse communities and how we need to come together. This while literally ICE agents were out in our communities instilling fear that our local law enforcement did not exude at the march.
Lastly, I will say, if you listen to the speeches, what amazes me about the time we live in currently, I am unable to share those speeches in my communication & journalism courses as they could be deemed as racial advocacy and indoctrination. Local officials literally shared history which is currently censored at Texas A&M, the university located in our community. We have so much work ahead to bring Texans closer together, but today, I was given hope by our local community that we can come together and find much more common ground than many might think is currently out there.
Thank you to the community and organizers for hosting an event my family and friends not only felt welcomed to but valued at.