MLK Breakfast 2026 – Mayor Deegan

Good morning, Jacksonville.

We gather this morning not just to mark a moment in history, but to step into a new day together. A day shaped by what we choose to lift up, who we choose to stand with, and how we choose to rise as a city.

This moment is about the lives we are trying to improve and the Jacksonville we are building, where children can imagine a future without limits, and every neighborhood has a fair chance to thrive.

For the third year in a row, we come together to honor an American hero whose legacy calls us not only to remember where we have been, but to rise into what we can become — more just, more loving, and more united.

As our nation approaches its 250th year, many of us will reflect on the bold promises made at its founding. But history teaches us that those promises did not fulfill themselves. They required voices willing to challenge complacency and courage willing to demand better.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the most consequential voices in America’s journey towards a more perfect union, a destination that we still strive to reach.

With the courage of his convictions and an unwavering love for this country, Dr. King called America to live up to its own words—that life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness must belong to all people.

So, on this momentous day, I want to begin by sincerely thanking the partners who made this unified celebration possible—the Jacksonville Branch of the NAACP, the Jacksonville Urban League, and JAX Chamber. Each brings a distinct history, voice, and constituency to this work. Their long-standing commitment to opportunity and empowerment strengthens our entire community.

Coming together for an event like this takes intention and sacrifice. I want you to know that I see it and deeply appreciate it. I also encourage everyone here to continue supporting the vital work of our partners, whose leadership and service help move Jacksonville forward.

We gather today not just to remember Dr. King, but to breathe new life into the movement he led.

Today’s theme, “When Courage Leads, Love Follows,” is not a slogan. It is a truth Dr. King lived and ultimately gave his life for.

He taught us that courage is not impulsive or reckless. It is a deliberate decision to move forward, even when the cost is high and the path uncertain.

And every time Dr. King took a step forward, whether down the streets of Montgomery, across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, or up the steps of the Mount Ararat Baptist Church right here in Jacksonville, love moved with him.

His love calmed the fearful, restored the weary, and strengthened those willing to stand for justice. He also understood that the most incredible acts of courage often remain unsung.

That type of courage lives in moms and dads, too many of whom work more hours while their dollars buy less. Too many of whom lie awake at night worrying about food, housing, childcare, and health care. And yet, every morning, they show up moving with quiet determination and fierce love. They put the needs of others ahead of their own, without headlines, recognition, or thanks.

In Dr. King’s words, they possess an “inner resolution to go forward despite obstacles.”

Courage also requires honesty.

In Jacksonville, the past is not behind us. It shows up in daily life.

The past still shapes which neighborhoods have grocery stores and which do not. How long families wait to see a doctor. Or who owns a home and who is still locked out of that opportunity.

It even shows up in how long people live, with residents in some neighborhoods facing life expectancies nearly two decades shorter than those in other parts of our city.

The same communities once marked as “hazardous” on redlined maps are still carrying the heaviest burdens today. And while the laws have changed, the scars of denied investment are still with us.

And that is why our courage and our love must be directed to those neighborhoods where the burden has been heaviest for the longest.

Jacksonville’s future cannot come into focus if entire neighborhoods are missing from the frame.

Dr. King reminded us that “we are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny.”

Each community, each neighborhood, is a vital piece of our shared mosaic — distinct in its story, indispensable in its role. Even when separated by miles, we are bound together, shaping one another’s future.

During my upcoming budget town halls, I will share how my administration is prioritizing investments in neighborhoods that have been left out for far too long.

So, the question before us is not abstract. It is both practical and moral: Do we have the inner resolve to build a Jacksonville where affordability and belonging are not the dreams of our grandparents but the daily realities for our grandchildren?

I know we must. I know we do. And my conviction comes from what I see in the courage and love of so many unsung heroes in our city.

I see it in LaTrina Dowdell, who refused to resign in the face of injustice. Where others saw decades of disinvestment, LaTrina saw possibility. Through The 32209 Experience, she is strengthening families by restoring a sense of belonging, proving Dr. King’s belief that when communities are empowered to lead, hope becomes action.

I see it in Kamala Williams, who embodies Dr. King’s conviction that dignity grows when people are not left to struggle alone. Through The Lotus Flower Project, Kamala has created spaces where women can rediscover their voice and rise together through mentorship, support, and care. That is what a strong community looks like, when courage is guided by compassion.

I see it in Betty Burney, who has devoted her life to ensuring young people are not only seen as the future but also respected as leaders today. Through the I’M A STAR Foundation, Betty is helping bring Dr. King’s vision to life by empowering students to address issues such as food insecurity, homelessness, mental health, and childhood obesity. Betty’s work shows that when we invest in our youth, we don’t just prepare the next generation; we strengthen our city right now.

I see it in Yasmina White, a parent and leader of our new taskforce exploring solutions to Jacksonville’s growing childcare crisis. She brought her lived experience and awareness to an issue that too often goes unheard. Yasmina reminds us that childcare impacts all of us, not just parents. Because our workforce and economic future are tied together.

These are just a few of the unsung heroes in our community. Their actions, rooted in love for family and community, are precisely the kind of courage Dr. King asked us to celebrate.

Dr. King also reminded us that “the time is always right to do what is right.”

For Jacksonville, that time is now.

So, we must summon the courage to invest in neighborhoods long denied opportunity, not as charity, but as justice; not as a favor, but as a commitment to our shared future. And when government, businesses, nonprofits, and faith communities dare to lead together, love will follow.

Love in the form of homes that families can afford.

Love in the form of safe streets, accessible clinics, and clean parks.

Love in the form of children who grow up seeing possibilities instead of barriers.

Economic success is strongest when workers can build stable lives, and businesses remain rooted in the communities they serve.

A living wage, an affordable home, and access to healthy food are not obstacles to growth; they are the foundation of a beloved community.

Jacksonville’s future must not remain a prisoner to the injustices of our past. It must be shaped by the choices we make today, by the courage we show, and by how fully we choose to love our neighbors.

This is the work before us, not someday, not later, but now.

And when we meet this moment with courage, when we lead with love, and when we refuse to leave anyone behind, then Jacksonville will not simply grow; we will rise to become trailblazers in fulfilling Dr. King’s dream.

That is the future we must choose together with courage in our souls and love in our hearts.

Thank you. God bless you. And may God bless our beloved Jacksonville.