All-Star outfielder Matt Kemp will serve as the celebrity Grand Marshal in the 28th annual Kingdom Day Parade in South Los Angeles Saturday. The parade, in recognition of Martin Luther King Day, will be broadcasted on KABC-TV and is southern California’s largest King Day celebration.
Kemp will be among thousands of participants along a parade route that begins at Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and Western Ave. in South Los Angeles. Kemp will be joined by Dodger alumni Bobby Castillo, Tommy Davis, Al “The Bull” Ferrara, “Sweet” Lou Johnson, Lee Lacy, Kenny Landreaux, Tim Leary, Wes Parker, Dennis Powell, Derrel Thomas and Maury Wills who will be riding in the Dodger fire truck.
The Dodgers are a sponsor of the 28th annual Kingdom Day parade themed “His Dream Will Never Die.” The Kingdom Day Parade commemorates the life and legacy of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. King and wife Coretta Scott King. The parade is organized and presented by the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE-CA), KJLH Radio and LAUSD – Beyond the Bell.
The parade will begin at 10:30 a.m. from Martin Luther King Blvd. and Western Ave., with KABC-TV televising it at 11 a.m., when it passes by King Blvd. and Crenshaw.
Kemp has been active in the Los Angeles community since 2007.
His involvement has included field dedications including a Dodgers Dreamfield at Mona Park in Compton in 2011.
Kemp made a donation to the Regional Bank of Oklahoma during the 2010 offseason as part of his “Score Against Hunger” campaign. He made special Christmas visits to Sweet Alice in Watts and City of Hope Hospital in Duarte during the 2011 offseason, has helped give several hundred Dodger hats to children over the course of his career and has personally raised more than $400,000 for families affected by autism at his annual Spring Training fundraiser.
In 2012, Kemp made appearances on behalf of the annual March of Dimes “Be A Hero for Babies Day,” hosted an event to raise funds for the Dodgers Dream Foundation, served as a spokesperson for Coaching Corps and made numerous hospital visits.
Along with teammate Clayton Kershaw, he was honored by the Negro Leagues Museum in January 2012 with a Legacy Award.
Kemp created a community initiative called Kemp’s Kids in 2008 and has continued that program that hosts area youth at several games at Dodger Stadium. Kemp has participated for several years in both the Dodgers’ annual Community Caravan and the Dodgers Dream Foundation Bowling Extravaganza.
He has also participated in the Dodgers’ annual Holiday party for local school children.
