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Ģ����ý gathered as a community on January 16, 2026, to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during an all-school ceremony centered on reflection, service, and hope for the future.

The event featured as the keynote speaker and highlighted student voices that framed the program with both personal meaning and a clear call to action.

The ceremony opened with an introduction from senior Meia A. ’26, who welcomed Mayor Mobolade and set the tone for the morning by connecting his story to the enduring values of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy.

Introduction by Meia A. ’26

Thank you all for gathering here this morning. My name is Meia. I am a senior here at Ģ����ý and am proud to have the great honor of introducing Colorado Springs’ very own inspirational mayor. As the daughter of a Haitian immigrant, being able to stand here today and be a part of a community that has welcomed, put faith in, and elected the first Black man and immigrant to be Mayor in this city is personal in ways that make me proud of not only who I am, but who I am here with today.

Born in Nigeria, to two pastors, Blessing ‘Yemi’ Mobolade immigrated to the United States at age 17, just like his brother before him, to pursue the American Dream in the form of education. Even before his induction as Mayor, he was already a motivational and prominent force of change. For example, to introduce more cultural gathering places in the Downtown area of the Springs, he co-founded The Wild Goose Meeting House in 2013, after being one of the first entrepreneurs to invest in Downtown after the Great Recession.

Since then, he has expanded the community of the Springs, truly encompassing all things “city-flourishing,” making the community richer and ever more vibrant while being a voice for the people. He was sworn in as the 42nd Mayor of Colorado Springs on June 6, 2023. He has made history as the first Black man and immigrant to be elected Mayor of Colorado Springs, as well as one of the youngest. And now, welcome Colorado Springs’ Mayor Yemi Mobolade.

Following Meia’s introduction, Mayor Mobolade addressed students, faculty, and families with remarks that blended personal history, gratitude, and a powerful reflection on Dr. King’s enduring dream. His message emphasized unity, service, and the responsibility each individual holds in shaping the future.

Keynote Address by Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade

Good morning, students. Seriously, I need to come here every week. You make me feel like a million dollars. Thank you for the warm reception. Thank you for the honor of being here today. Good morning to teachers, staff, and any family members here today.

I so appreciate being in your school this morning because every time I'm around young people, believe it or not, I feel so inspired, and I feel so hopeful about the future, because the future isn't some some distant far idea out there. The future is right here. The future is you.

So again, thank you for having me, and we are here today because of a man who helped bend the course of history with vision, with courage, with empathy, and with humility. We are here today because of a leader who used his voice, his passion, his influence to lift others. A leader who believed with all his heart in the worth and the dignity of every single person.

We are here today because of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Some people talk about Dr. King as in the past, as in his dream is finished. But the truth is that his dream is still unfolding, as evident here today. His dream lives in the choices we make. It lives in how we treat one another, and it lives in the kind of community that we all built together. You see, Dr. King taught us that unity is our greatest strength. See, he believed that our differences don't divide us, but our gifts make everyone of us stronger.

I love that he said, “We may have all come from different boats, but we are in the same boat now.” See, this holiday we're about to celebrate reminds us that we are all connected and that our shared humanity must lead the way. And when we act with that spirit across great levels, across neighborhoods, across the leaps, across generations, we can move mountains together

As Meia was so honored by my story, thank you for such a kind introduction. See, my story didn't begin in Colorado Springs. It didn’t even begin in this country. I was born in Nigeria, West Africa, where you learned early how to stretch the little you have. We learned to make much from little. We learned how to depend on one another. 


You see, community wasn’t a preference. It was survival, and hope was an extra. It was literally how we survived. 
And when I came to America, I carried those lessons with me. I became a pastor. I started three businesses, including one in downtown Colorado Springs, at a time when many had given up on that part of the city. 


In this country, I’ve met my wife. I’m a proud parent of three young kids. I have a 12-year-old, an eight-year-old, and a six-year-old. I worked to build a community and worked to serve others. Eventually, I ran for Mayor, becoming the first and elected Black mayor and first immigrant mayor of Colorado Springs.


That journey was made possible because of leaders like Dr. King and the dream that they planted in this country. I have just one example of many of what can grow from a small seed, and that is still being planted today. So you see, if that tree can reach a kid growing up in Nigeria and lead him to stand before you today, imagine what it can do through you, right where you are, with the gift and the opportunities that you all have been given.

The same Martin Luther King Jr. Day is the only federal holiday designated as a day of service. It's often called a day on, not a day off. It's a day to serve others. It's a day to help others. It's a day to build community, and a day to live out Dr. King’s values of unity, justice, equality, and love.

Dr. King once said, “Everyone can be great because anybody can serve.” So here's my challenge to you this week as I wrap up this speech. Do one kind thing. Help somebody who is struggling. Care for your school. Be there for someone who feels left out. Dream bigger and live braver. Because when we do that, we don't just honor Dr. King's memory.

We continue his mission, and together we can build classrooms, schools, neighborhoods, a city, and a country, and a world where every single person can flourish. That is a dream. That is the work, and it's now in your hands. The future is waiting for you. Thank you all, God bless you, onward and upward.

The ceremony concluded with closing remarks from junior Melinda H. ’27, who reflected on Dr. King’s words and translated the morning’s message into a challenge for students to carry forward in their daily lives.

Closing Remarks by Melinda H. ’27

Thank you, Mayor Mobalade. My name is Melinda. I am a junior here at Ģ����ý.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “The time is always right to do what is right.” How can we, Ģ����ý students, call to action? This can mean speaking up when something doesn’t feel right, sitting with someone who feels left out, or creating safe spaces where others feel comfortable learning and growing at their own pace. Sometimes, it’s as simple as giving someone the chance to open up about the things that have kept them silent.

Above all, it means showing kindness when it feels easier to just stay quiet. When Dr. King says that the time is always right, we should believe in this. We, as students who will one day change our world for the better, shall always act upon what is right. If we fail to do so, we should wake up and do the right thing. Martin Luther King Jr. also said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”

This question is a call to action for everyone, regardless of age. This doesn’t mean you must do something extraordinary to make a difference; oftentimes, the smallest actions lead to the biggest change. When we choose to care about others, we become part of the change Dr. King believed in.

So today, I ask each and every one of you, when you leave this room, how will you answer Dr. King’s question? What action will you take to help someone else feel seen, heard, or supported? Because the time is always right to do what is right, and the choices we make every day shape not only our school, but the world we will one day lead.

A Visit With the Youngest Dreamers

After the ceremony, Mayor Mobolade spent time with PreKindergarten students, who presented him with a photograph of a large MLK mural they created in their hallway, featuring stars filled with their dreams.

Those dreams included: “My dream is I dreamed about Martin Luther King and a pony,” “I have a dream to catch monsters,” My dream is school,” I have a dream to help mom and dad more,” and “That Godzilla is true.”

“Thank you,” Mayor Mobolade told PreK students. “I’m going to hang this in my office.”