‘He served his community’: Bay Area celebrates 40th MLK Day with marches and volunteer events

As the Bay Area celebrates the 40th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr. Day with marches, concerts and volunteer events, many residents are remembering the civil rights leader’s legacy by working to unite and serve their local communities amid an increasingly divisive national political climate.

“He served his community, did everything he could to help his people and make sure that everyone was represented equally,” said Brett Matthews, a volunteer at a garden center clean-up Monday near Oakland’s Lake Merritt.