“Forward Ever, Backward Never”: Holly Springs Honors MLK With Two Days of Reflection and Community Action
From prayer and music to youth voices and calls for civic action, Holly Springs’ MLK Unity Weekend brought residents together to reflect, reconnect, and recommit to Dr. King’s unfinished work.
Holly Springs, NC, Jan. 19, 2026 — Holly Springs residents and friends gathered over the past weekend to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by taking part in a Unity Weekend centered on reflection, dialogue, and community action.
Organized by the Holly Springs MLK Jr. Community Committee, the 2026 observance carried the theme “Forward Ever, Backward Never,” bringing together faith leaders, elected officials, students, and residents for a weekend focused on service, perseverance, and the unfinished work of justice.
Saturday: Reflection and Renewal at St. Mary’s FWB Church
The weekend began Saturday morning with a Breakfast and Morning Program held at St. Mary’s Free Will Baptist Church on Holly Springs Road in Apex.
The program opened with prayer, music, and reflection before turning to the featured speaker, Dr. Kimberley Richards, founder and executive director of the People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond in Picayune, Mississippi.
Richards delivered a wide-ranging message that challenged attendees to think beyond symbolic observances and toward sustained community engagement. Drawing on history, organizing experience, and Dr. King’s teachings, she emphasized the need to confront inequality at its roots and remain committed to education, economic justice, and collective responsibility.
Her remarks focused on:
Understanding how systems shape opportunity
The importance of community organizing
The responsibility to act, not just reflect
Continuing Dr. King’s work through sustained engagement
Throughout the morning, speakers and presenters emphasized that progress requires persistence, especially during times of uncertainty or fatigue.
The program also included moments of prayer, music, and recognition of community leaders, veterans, and volunteers who continue to serve throughout the year.
Sunday: Community Gathering at the Cultural Center
The MLK observance continued Sunday with events planned in Holly Springs.
A Memorial Walk, scheduled to begin at Oak Hall Shopping Center, was cancelled due to poor weather conditions. Despite the cancellation, the community still gathered later that afternoon for the Afternoon Program at the Holly Springs Cultural Center.
The Sunday program brought together residents for music, reflection, and messages focused on unity and shared responsibility. Artistic performances and spoken word pieces reinforced themes of perseverance, compassion, and hope.
The featured speaker for the afternoon was Minister Masen Jones of St. Augusta Missionary Baptist Church in Fuquay-Varina. Despite his young age of 12, Jones delivered a message centered on faith, purpose, and the importance of continuing Dr. King’s vision through action and service.
His remarks emphasized:
The power of unity across generations
The importance of personal responsibility
The role of faith in building stronger communities
The need to turn belief into action
His message resonated strongly with attendees and underscored the event’s emphasis on lifting up the next generation of leaders.
A Weekend Focused on Action, Not Ceremony
Across both days, a consistent theme emerged: honoring Dr. King requires more than remembrance.
Speakers and organizers repeatedly emphasized that progress depends on:
Showing up for one another
Speaking out against injustice
Remaining engaged in local communities
Turning values into action
Local leaders and volunteers were recognized for their ongoing service, and attendees were encouraged to stay involved beyond the MLK weekend through civic engagement, volunteerism, and continued dialogue.
Looking Ahead
The 2026 Unity Weekend served as both a tribute and a call to action, reminding the community that Dr. King’s vision remains unfinished and that progress depends on the everyday choices of ordinary people.
As the weekend’s theme made clear: Forward ever. Backward never.
More information about the Holly Springs MLK Jr. Committee can be found at www.hsmlk.org
Really stellar coverage of this weekend. The shift from symbolic observance to actual sustained engagement realy captures what makes local organizing work longterm. I've seen too many MLK events that feel more like checking a box than building momentum. Richards' focus on confronting systemic inequality at its roots instead of surface-level fixes dunno seems like the only way forward.