Miami-Dade Department of Solid Waste Management joins MLK weekend events to honor legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Miami-Dade Department of Solid Waste Management (DSWM) will play a key role in honoring the life and legacy of civil rights icon the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by participating in a series of impactful events and parades throughout the weekend of January 18-20, 2025. 

For years, DSWM has proudly joined the community in celebrating Dr. King’s extraordinary contributions, and this year will be no different. On Saturday, January 18, DSWM will hit the streets of South Miami-Dade with a variety of trucks, displaying the Miami-Dade County logo, in the annual West Perrine MLK Parade. This powerful display of unity and respect is just one part of the department's ongoing commitment to Dr. King's legacy.

In addition to the parade, DSWM will also support FIU’s MLK Day of Service 2025 with a neighborhood clean-up event at the historic Hampton House in Miami’s Brownsville neighborhood—an iconic location where Dr. King delivered an early version of his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. This initiative aligns with the department’s Let’s Clean Things Up program, furthering its mission to enhance communities in honor of Dr. King’s values of service and equality.

The weekend’s observances will culminate with DSWM's participation in the 48th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade & Festivities in Liberty City. Believed to be the first and oldest MLK parade in the U.S., this event was first held in 1977 and continues to serve as a living tribute to Dr. King’s transformative influence.

“We are deeply honored to take part in these significant celebrations honoring Dr. King’s life and legacy,” said Aneisha Daniel, PhD, Director of DSWM.  “Our department, and the entire solid waste industry, holds a special connection to Dr. King, whose final act was to stand with sanitation workers in Memphis, highlighting the importance of dignity, respect, and equality in every profession.”

The Miami-Dade County Department of Solid Waste Management provides full-service waste collection and disposal services to more than 340,000 households in unincorporated Miami-Dade County and 10 municipalities: Aventura, Cutler Bay, Doral, Miami Gardens, Miami Lakes, Opa-locka, Palmetto Bay, Pinecrest, Sunny Isles Beach and Sweetwater.

For more information on DSWM’s programs, visit miamidade.gov/solidwaste.