“Awakening the Dream: Breaking Barriers in the Fight for Justice and Unity,” PWCAC-DST announced, is the selected theme for this year’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Oratorical Competition and Program, marking one of the region’s longest-running tributes to Dr. King’s legacy.
Founded in 1985, the free annual event will take place Monday, January 19, 2026, at 11 a.m. at Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Triangle. Six student orators from Prince William County, Manassas, and Manassas Park will deliver speeches inspired by this year’s theme, alongside performances by the MLK Youth Community Choir and other youth groups. Attendees are encouraged to participate in the MLK Day of Service by bringing non-perishable food donations to support local pantries. Vendors and community outreach organizations will be available beginning at 10 a.m., with a snow date set for January 24.
