Mayor Garcetti Serves as Grand Marshal of Kingdom Day Parade

The celebrity grand marshal was Shaunie O'Neal, a cast member of the VH1 series "Basketball Wives"

Mayor Eric Garcetti served as grand marshal Monday when Southern California's largest Martin Luther King Jr. Day observance -- the 29th annual Kingdom Day Parade -- begins in the Crenshaw District.

The theme of this year's parade, which began at 11 a.m. near Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Crenshaw Boulevard, is "Ain't  Gonna' Let Nobody Turn Us 'Round." The parade traveled south on Crenshaw Boulevard, concluding at Vernon Avenue.

The theme was chosen because of court decisions and legislative attempts  "trying to unravel the voting rights and other gains of the civil rights era," according to parade manager Wendy Gladney Dean.

The celebrity grand marshal was Shaunie O'Neal, a cast member of the  VH1 series "Basketball Wives" and the former wife of retired basketball  star Shaquille O'Neal.

Other dignitaries scheduled to participate in the parade included Los  Angeles Police Department Chief Charlie Beck, City Attorney Mike Feuer,  Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, Reps. Karen Bass, D-Los Angeles, Janice Hahn, D- San Pedro, and Maxine Waters, D-Los Angeles, and Councilmen Bernard Parks,  Curren Price and Herb Wesson.

NBC4's Michael Browlee and Beverly White also were part of the parade.

The Los Angeles Dodgers continued their participation in the parade  by having former Dodgers "Sweet" Lou Johnson, Dennis Powell and Derrel Thomas  ride aboard the Dodger fire truck.
 

Copyright CNS - City News Service
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