A picture of the "beloved community" envisioned by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was on display in downtown Colorado Springs Monday, as hundreds of community members participated in a Unity March to honor the legacy of the late civil rights leader.

People of all ages walking as individuals or representing a vast variety of local businesses, churches and other organizations, heralded by the Fountain-Fort Carson High School drumline, made the short trek from Colorado College to Acacia Park for the college's yearly celebration — held in-person for the first time in three years — with a theme of “It Starts With Me: Cultivating a Beloved Community Mindset to Transform Unjust Systems.”

With the crowd congregated in the park, a roll call of historically Black fraternities and sororities ensued, and guest speaker Sharon Tunson, Colorado Springs native and assistant dean of high school programs at Pikes Peak State College, took the stage.

Echoing King's insistence that social justice must be pursued with "fierce urgency," Tunson said each individual bears the responsibility of showing empathy — a difficult but doable task in a political climate rife with animosity.

“We may not be able to bridge the divide in Washington, D.C., but we can confront those divisions in our own community right here in Colorado Springs," she said. "We cannot wait. Tomorrow is today.”

Tunson harkened back to the days of the city's 1871 founding by Gen. William Palmer, a Quaker who intentionally sought what King defined as a "beloved community": one where "everyone has equal access to education, to economic opportunity, where there's not one who is higher than the other," Tunson said.

Tunson said that while the city has failed in many ways to uphold those ideals — her parents could only swim at the Monument Valley Pool on Wednesdays and watched the Ku Klux Klan burn crosses on a nearby hill — its diversity is its strength.

“As a community of diverse people, we cannot continue to deny that there are problems in our community," she said. "We cannot continue to deny all students the opportunity to learn about and acknowledge the contributions of citizens of all colors, ethnicities and racial backgrounds who have made and continue to make important contributions to our city and our nation."

Sean Martinez, a Colorado Springs resident sporting a blue and white Phi Beta Sigma letterman, said he believes the community's resiliency and connection has made recent strides.

“(I see) how the community has come together, especially after Club Q (shooting) last year, I see it as an inclusive town for everybody. It’s a good feeling being here, doesn’t matter where your background is from.”

Eric Graham, donning the black and gold of Alpha Phi Alpha and who was first stationed at NORAD in 2013, said Monday's march and program were emblematic of a multicultural understanding — "something Colorado Springs needs."

He said he's involved in a social action committee that is in the works to bring relief and attention not only to the Black community in the city, but to those of low socioeconomic status and the hungry: "All the stuff that (King) was about as well," he said.

Graham said the city is full of do-gooders, like food pantries, church ministries and others, who have difficulty communicating and coordinating efforts. He said he hopes his action community can serve as the glue to make the pursuit of that beloved community all the more effective.

“Just imagine how big of an impact that could be once we all come together," Graham said. "There’s a lot of things that need to be done around here, and not just for the Black community.”