Presented by Building Bridges with Music

Building Bridges with Music sponsors Traverse City’s Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service on Monday, January 19, 2026 from 10am-8pm at Commongrounds (414 E. Eighth St.). This year’s theme is: “The Deep History of Spoken Word and Oral Traditions,” and the event honors African American legacies of storytelling, music, and spoken word that have carried messages of resilience, hope, and justice across generations. These traditions echo Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s enduring message of Love over Fear, a principle that closely aligns with Building Bridges with Music’s mission to bring people together across differences through shared creative experiences. The event is FREE, family friendly, and open to all.

This year’s poetry theme highlights Building Bridges with Music’s recent program development that includes free poetry workshops for Northern Michigan students. The day’s events will feature student poetry, both written and performed, and the FREE ticketed evening program will feature Jessica Care Moore, multiple award winning poet, activist, and Michigan’s Poet Laureate. Rooted in the deep history of African American spoken word traditions, Moore’s work carries forward an oral legacy that invites listeners to reflect on the past, remain active in the present, and practice intention about the future. Through language shaped by rhythm, story, and lived experience, Moore offers a powerful closing to a day centered on shared humanity, collective voice, and community connection to commemorate Dr. King’s lifework. FREE tickets for the evening headliner available at thealluvion.org.

Get more information here.

About Building Bridges with Music

Building Bridges with Music uses interactive music, storytelling, and collaborative arts to inspire connection, open-mindedness, and respect across generations and differences. Rooted in the belief that creative experiences can unite communities, the organization fosters environments where love and understanding overcome fear. 2026 marks the 30th anniversary of Building Bridges with Music, celebrating 3 decades of promoting peace through music in over 700 Michigan schools.