Several hundred people from the Fort Collins area gathered on a frigid morning to celebrate the life and memory of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Monday, Jan. 15.

The annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day event typically includes a march through Fort Collins’ African American historic sites led by community leaders. Due to temperatures ranging from minus 15 to 3 degrees Fahrenheit, the annual march was canceled this year. Instead, community members were encouraged to head to The Lincoln Center for food, conversation and a celebratory program.

At The Lincoln Center, participants in the day’s celebration were met by a host of volunteers and a continental breakfast spread. Two hours were set aside for community mingling inside the Canyon West Ballroom and the Columbine Room. A Day of Service donation event was held before this time.

Tables for guests to sit filled each ballroom, and both rooms were charged with lively energy as people arrived. Friends and families talked, strangers made acquaintances and children ran around as the community came together. Breakfast and coffee were served in the Columbine Room while “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” played from a projector in Canyon West.

Lydia Tillman volunteered to help out at The Lincoln Center’s Day of Service and MLK program after seeing information sent out through The BIPOC Alliance.

“I’m always looking to get to know my community and help out with whatever I can,” Tillman said. “It’s beautiful to see so many different cultures and races in one place. I’m just grateful for The BIPOC Alliance for this event and community.”

After eating and mingling, the community met in The Lincoln Center Performance Hall for the MLK program and keynote. The program kicked off with land and labor acknowledgments, followed by a proclamation from Fort Collins Mayor Jeni Arndt.

After the proclamation, audience members had the chance to meet and learn about march leaders to honor the time and effort put into the day’s event despite the cancellation of the march.

Speeches were then delivered by community leaders Arndt, Colorado State University Assistant Vice President for Inclusive Excellence Bridgette Johnson, Front Range Community College President Colleen Simpson, Poudre School District Superintendent Brian Kingsley and Rocky Mountain High School student Kiara Ruff.

In addition to speeches and acknowledgments, several artists performed during the program. The performances included song, spoken-word poetry and a special performance of a one-man play. CSU student Jasmine Retland performed a rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” and Afrobeat artist E.M.E honored the event with his song “God Got Me.”

The Black and African American Cultural Center at CSU hosts an annual spoken-word competition each fall. The winner of the competition often performs their original work at the annual MLK Day celebration. This year’s winner was CSU junior Kylynn White. She performed her original spoken word titled “Asha and Her Hope” during the program.

To end the program, the audience enjoyed a special performance of the play “From Myth to Man,” performed by playwright, author and producer Ira Knight.

Duan Ruff, the director of the BAACC at CSU and co-lead of the MLK planning committee, was involved throughout the event. For Ruff, one of the most impactful parts of the day’s celebration was the performance by Knight.

“The way he humanized Dr. King was phenomenal; the depth was so fantastic,” Ruff said. “I think experiencing something like that and then allowing the audience to ask questions was a unique and phenomenal experience.”

Ruff also highlighted the role the community played in making the event possible.

“What you saw here today was a collection of people who were involved to do it,” Ruff said. “Students, folks from the city, folks from school districts, folks from Colorado State, BIPOC Alliance — I mean, there’s so many people involved. That’s the beauty of community, and I think the more we use these opportunities to express that, that’s how we see that we’re stronger together, and it starts with us.”

Reach Miles Buchan at news@collegian.com or on Twitter @buchanmiles.