The City of Jacksonville will host its 39th annual Martin Luther King, Jr. breakfast in partnership with the Jacksonville Branch NAACP, Jacksonville Urban League, and JAX Chamber. According to the city's announcement, the event is scheduled for January 16, 2026, at the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center, with the theme “When Courage Leads, Love Follows.” Breakfast begins at 7 a.m., followed by the program at 8 a.m., hosted by Shay Simon from Action News Jax and Anthony Austin from First Coast News.
Mayor Donna Deegan emphasized the importance of the event in the official announcement, stating, “The Martin Luther King, Jr. Unity Breakfast is an opportunity to honor his legacy and embrace a shared vision of unity, equality, and progress.” The breakfast will also recognize students selected through the Tomorrow’s Leaders contest, who demonstrated Dr. King’s principles in essay, poetry, and visual arts submissions. The winners will be highlighted during the event.
This year’s contest, presented by VyStar Credit Union, recognized students at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. High school poetry winner Janea White from Westside High School and runner-up Tamea Goodman from A. Philip Randolph High School were honored. Middle school visual arts champion Jordan Taylor from Westview K-8 and runner-up Nisha Gophinath from Freedom Crossing Academy were recognized, along with elementary school essay winner Raquel Watson from Biscayne Elementary Leadership Academy and second-place Bryce Gravin from the same school. All students were acknowledged for their creative interpretations of Dr. King’s message.
Tickets for the event are available through the City of Jacksonville’s special events page, with a deadline of January 9, 2026, for reserving corporate tables. Organizers note that parking is free and encourage attendees to arrive early for a timely start.
VyStar Credit Union, sponsor of the Tomorrow’s Leaders contest, is a financial institution in the Southeast with over $14 billion in assets and more than 1 million members. The City of Jacksonville Office of Sports and Entertainment, which manages a range of economic and cultural events, helps organize and promote the Martin Luther King, Jr. Unity Breakfast.
