Milwaukee area remembers the art of giving back on MLK Day

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Many events across the Milwaukee area Monday honored the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a pivotal figure in the American civil rights movement. 

One of Milwaukee’s oldest institutions, the YMCA, hosted a breakfast for leaders including Mayor Cavalier Johnson and Senator Tammy Baldwin, to reflect and address some of the city’s most critical issues.

“We have people that will care for adults, or you know, our youth, when it comes to fertility and the workforce and things like that," said Mia Townsend, YMCA Teen Achievers. "I just feel very grateful.”

On Marquette University's campus, Jack and Jill of America partnered up with the Boys & Girls Club of Milwaukee to assemble 200 snack packs for kids who have limited resources.

"When I think of Martin Luther King, I think about equality and equity, equalizing the playing field, treating all individuals fairly and giving opportunities to those who traditionally have been overlooked,” said Perissa Bailey, chair at Jack and Jill of America.

At Lloyd Barbee Montessori on the city's north side, more than 200 volunteers helped beautify the school.

"Lloyd Barbee, he was an attorney in Milwaukee, and he was also the first African American state legislator," said the school's principal, Katie Loss. "These murals are actually an extension of what's going on in their classroom."