Reston Community Center will mark the 37th annual Reston Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration by returning to many of the traditions that make the weekend a meaningful community experience.
Heather McGhee, a renowned expert on the American economy and author of The New York Times bestseller The Sum of Us,will deliver this year’s Keynote Address at 11:00 a.m. on January 17 at RCC Hunters Woods. Attendees are invited to the community lunch following McGhee’s speech. Public health precautions will be in place, due to the rising Omicron variant cases. The Community Lunch will be self-contained meals to eat at the tables rather than buffet style as in the past. Anyone experiencing symptoms is requested to remain at home. Masks will be required at all times indoors at RCC facilities except when actively eating or drinking.
Tickets are $5 for Reston residents and employees, and $10 for all others. Tickets to the Community Lunch and Keynote Address are required. Tickets are available at the CenterStage Box Office or by calling 703-476-4500.
“We are carefully returning to a Reston Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration where we can come together as a community to honor Dr. King’s legacy,” said Beverly Cosham, Chair of RCC’s Board of Governors. “Now more than ever, it is important to ask ourselves ‘are we keeping the promise?’ We will remember the human rights for which Dr. King laid down his life and replenish our spirits with those who share the passion for justice that fuels the movement toward a truly free society.”
The Reston Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration weekend is presented by Reston Community Center in cooperation with the Martin Luther King Jr. Christian Church, the Office of Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn, Reston Community Orchestra and local schools. Although the Reston Community Orchestra live performance will not occur due to COVID-19, the orchestra is hoping to make alternative arrangements for the music they have been preparing. Those will be announced at a later date.
For more information, contact RCC Community Events Director Kevin Danaher at 703-390-6166 or at kevin.danaher@fairfaxcounty.gov. To register for programs, visit www.restoncommunitycenter.com or call 703-476-4500.
2022 Reston Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration
Calendar of Events
NOTE: RCC strongly urges all patrons who attend to be vaccinated and boosted. Masks are required to be worn at all times in RCC facilities.
Sunday, January 16
Baratunde Thurston
Writer, Comedian, Activist
2:00 p.m.
RCC Hunters Woods – the CenterStage
$15 Reston/$20 Non-Reston (tickets sold through the CenterStage Box Office)
Baratunde Thurston holds space for hard and complex conversations with his blend of humor, wisdom and compassion. He is an Emmy-nominated TV host who has worked for The Onion, produced for The Daily Show, advised the Obama White House and written The New York Times bestseller How To Be Black. As the executive producer and host of How to Citizen with Baratunde, which Apple named one of its favorite podcasts of 2020, Baratunde also received the Social Impact Award at the 2021 iHeartRadio Podcast Awards. Baratunde is unique in his ability to integrate and synthesize themes of race, culture, politics and technology to explain where our nation is and where we can take it. It is recommended that children under 16 be accompanied by an adult.
Monday, January 17
Keynote Address by Heather McGhee followed by Community Lunch
11:00 a.m.
RCC Hunters Woods: the CenterStage and Community Room
$5 Reston/$10 Non-Reston (tickets sold through the CenterStage Box Office)
A renowned expert on the American economy, Heather McGhee is one of the most brilliant and influential thinkers exploring inequality today. Both her viral TED talk and her instant New York Times bestseller The Sum of Us reveal the devastating true cost of racism – not just for people of color, but for everyone. Deeply stirring, intelligent and compassionate, McGhee’s talks offer us an actionable roadmap during one of the most critical – and most troubled – periods in history. Following the keynote address, a boxed hot lunch will be provided in the RCC Community Room. Masks must be worn unless actively eating or drinking.
Especially for Youth
10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
RCC Hunters Woods
6 – 12 Years Old. Free. Registration Required. Reg. #704750-2A
You may register your school-age child (first to sixth grade) to participate in activities at RCC. Children must be registered in advance and no onsite registration will be available on the day of the event. Children will rotate through a series of activities, including an age-appropriate video and arts and crafts. All activities will be based on the history of Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement. A self-contained lunch will be provided.
Reston Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration Exhibit
January 2022
RCC Hunters Woods
Art from Reston’s elementary schools celebrating Dr. King and his life’s work.
About Reston Community Center
Each year, RCC offers positive, self-development experiences that enhance the quality of life for all people living and working in Reston. RCC provides a wide range of programs in arts, aquatics, enrichment and lifelong learning. We also create and sustain community traditions through special events, outreach activities and facility rentals. To find the programs or events that are right for you, visit www.restoncommunitycenter.com or call 703-476-4500.
Fairfax County is committed to nondiscrimination on the basis of disability in all county programs, services and activities. Reasonable accommodations will be provided upon request. For further information, contact Reston Community Center at 703-476-4500, TTY 711 or visit the website at www.restoncommunitycenter.com. Reston Community Center is located at 2310 Colts Neck Road, Reston, VA 20191. Reston Community Center is completely accessible to persons with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Enriching Lives. Building Community.
