DeKalb County honors civil-rights leaders at 42nd annual MLK celebration; Nathaniel Mosby awards presented
March 02, 2026 | DeKalb County, Georgia
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DeKalb County hosted its 42nd annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration, where County CEO Lorraine Cochran Johnson presented the Nathaniel Mosby Humanitarian Award to Justice Leah Ward Sears and Rabbi Zev Haim Fair. The program included an invocation, musical performances by Lorie Williams, and a youth recital of portions of Dr. King's "I Have a Dream."
The event opened with an invocation by Reverend Dr. Byron Thomas and the DeKalb County Police Honor Guard's presentation of colors. Emcee Lori Wilson of Channel 2 outlined the day's program and noted attendees could access speaker biographies via a QR code on the program. CEO Cochran Johnson's introduction highlighted several county initiatives, including a $4.27 billion water and sewer modernization plan, a $12.5 million public safety package (including a $2 million real-time crime center), and an $8 million investment in Park 500 that supports housing-insecure families. Those figures were cited from the CEO's remarks displayed in the program presentation.
Justice Leah Ward Sears accepted the Nathaniel Mosby Humanitarian Award and framed service as ongoing work rather than a final accolade: "Service is not an achievement to be celebrated and set aside. It is actually a mandate," she said, urging continued efforts to break down barriers and create opportunities. Rabbi Zev Haim Fair, the second honoree, recalled decades of civil-rights activism and told attendees that "freedom is not the destination, it's the journey."
A youth participant, Eric Johnson Watkins, recited an excerpt from Dr. King's "I Have a Dream," drawing applause and underscoring the event's intergenerational focus. CEO Cochran Johnson and event organizers recognized a broad set of elected officials in attendance and thanked volunteers and the county communications team for the program production.
The program closed with musical selections and brief final remarks. Organizers said the event is an annual observance; no formal county votes or policy actions were taken during the ceremony.
The event opened with an invocation by Reverend Dr. Byron Thomas and the DeKalb County Police Honor Guard's presentation of colors. Emcee Lori Wilson of Channel 2 outlined the day's program and noted attendees could access speaker biographies via a QR code on the program. CEO Cochran Johnson's introduction highlighted several county initiatives, including a $4.27 billion water and sewer modernization plan, a $12.5 million public safety package (including a $2 million real-time crime center), and an $8 million investment in Park 500 that supports housing-insecure families. Those figures were cited from the CEO's remarks displayed in the program presentation.
Justice Leah Ward Sears accepted the Nathaniel Mosby Humanitarian Award and framed service as ongoing work rather than a final accolade: "Service is not an achievement to be celebrated and set aside. It is actually a mandate," she said, urging continued efforts to break down barriers and create opportunities. Rabbi Zev Haim Fair, the second honoree, recalled decades of civil-rights activism and told attendees that "freedom is not the destination, it's the journey."
A youth participant, Eric Johnson Watkins, recited an excerpt from Dr. King's "I Have a Dream," drawing applause and underscoring the event's intergenerational focus. CEO Cochran Johnson and event organizers recognized a broad set of elected officials in attendance and thanked volunteers and the county communications team for the program production.
The program closed with musical selections and brief final remarks. Organizers said the event is an annual observance; no formal county votes or policy actions were taken during the ceremony.
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