{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"January 14, 2026 - Ja'Mahl McDaniel and Jay Alexander (Lexington's MLK Day Celebration)","description":" LEXINGTON, Ky. (January 14, 2026) \u2013 Monday, January 19th, 2026 will mark Lexington\u2019s 53rd anniversary of the observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, a US Federal holiday that honors the birth, life and dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and is also the only national holiday designated as a national day of service to encourage Americans to volunteer for opportunities to improve their communities in a variety of ways. As part of the planning committee for Lexington\u2019s annual MLK Holiday Observance, Ja\u2019Mahl McDaniel has helped shape one of the longest-running celebrations of Dr. King\u2019s legacy in the country. McDaniel is director of the University of Kentucky\u2019s Martin Luther King, Jr. Center \u2014 a hub for student opportunities in academics, civic leadership, and cultural exchange rooted in Dr. King\u2019s philosophy. This year\u2019s event will bring the community together around the theme, \u201cThe Right to Live, The Right to Choose: Health, Ballots & The Beloved Community,\u201d connecting Dr. King\u2019s work to present-day questions about public health, voting rights, and collective responsibility \u2014 and what it looks like to turn reflection into action. On this episode of \u2018Behind the Blue\u2019, McDaniel is joined by co-committee member Jay Alexander, the programming and music director for WBTF-FM in Lexington, to walk through  what to expect on MLK Day in Lexington \u2014 including the Freedom March and commemorative program \u2014 and talk about why the celebration still matters, what they hope people take away from this year\u2019s keynote message, and how the day\u2019s visual storytelling helps bring history into sharper focus. \u201cBehind the Blue\u201d is available via a variety of podcast providers, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Subscribe to receive new episodes each week, featuring UK\u2019s latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists, writers and the most important news impacting the university. \u201cBehind the Blue\u201d is a production of the University of Kentucky. Transcripts for this or other episodes of \u201cBehind the Blue\u201d can be downloaded from the show\u2019s blog page.  To discover how the University of Kentucky is advancing our Commonwealth, click here. ","author_name":"Behind the Blue","author_url":"http:\/\/behindtheblue.libsyn.com\/podcast","html":"