It’s officially that time of the year! No, it’s not any upcoming holiday but something more meaningful and impactful. As the calendar hits the third Monday of January every year, America comes together to honor the life and legacy of former Nobel Peace Prize winner Martin Luther King Jr. And this time, the gymnastics community has stepped up to do the same in their own special way. After not being able to hold the inaugural meet last year, they have managed to hold a historic competition at the local level, along with pulling off some unprecedented feats!

Yes, after a year’s wait, the first-ever Martin Luther King Jr. Invitational, a gymnastics meet, was kicked off in Nashville on January 20, 2025. Originally planned to get underway in 2024, it was scrapped as a major snowstorm had led to abrupt cancellations. But this year, the meet hosted by Fisk University featured 80 odd schools and 6 African American collegiate gymnastics head coaches to honor the black contribution to the sport. But this isn’t it! Other gymnastics teams also honored the icon’s legacy by giving back to the community through heartwarming gestures.

We’re talking about the Nassau gymnasts. Over 21 of their gymnastics teams took part in the tenth ‘Cartwheel for a Cure’ fundraising meet. And they all came together for one single purpose! Well, it was to support the Madison Milio Tribute Fund to raise money for brain cancer research. Madison Milio was a 9-year-old who succumbed to this terminal illness in 2021. To honor her, not only did the gymnasts and judges don her favorite purple and teal colors, but they also collected a whopping sum of $155,000 USD. The Nassau gymnastics coordinator defined the event as, “In the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr., this is about what you can do to help others. “

Over the years, the fund has paved the way for seven grants and two research programs. But this isn’t the only way the gymnastics community is honoring MLK Day. Straight from Tulsa, the Aim High Academy hosted its 11th annual ‘Dream Meet’ gymnastics competition to honor Martin Luther King Jr. from January 17th to 19th. Nearly 850 gymnasts gathered at the Cox Business Convention Center. They not only performed but also upheld the icon’s philosophy of persevering through whatever obstacles he faced. Dream Meet also ended up raising funds for scholarships!

Well, we’ve seen how the gymnastics community plays a huge role in giving a tribute to Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy every year. But how does the sport tie into the legend’s vision? Well, as per Aim High Academy director, “Gymnastics is all about pursuing your dreams. Every little girl that starts gymnastics has high hoped of going to the Olympic Games someday and so, you know, they’re all dreaming” as reported by ‘News9’. This is what Martin Luther King Jr. too hoped for! He wanted the kids to have the freedom to do whatever they dreamed of.

But these gymnasts aren’t alone. Tributes are flowing in from across the nation, as we’re getting to see multiple unique events.

Not only gymnastics, this is how sports and local events are celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. day

In Atlanta, a march was organized on Monday at the King Center to celebrate the King holiday. Since Atlanta is where the icon was born, all eyes were set to see how this city celebrated his life and work. And it turns out they did exceed all expectations. With a ‘Mission Impossible’ theme this year, they honored the various goals that Martin Luther King Jr. worked for throughout his life, like protecting freedom, justice, and democracy, which made the event stand out.

But that is not all! Other sports like the NBA are also set to show up on the court to give Dr. King a fitting tribute. They are not only honoring civil rights in sports but also have an exciting line of games to be held, especially on the King holiday. Their match lineup includes the Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Memphis Grizzlies and the Boston Celtics vs. Golden State Warriors, to name a few. However, the way collegiate gymnastics has gone above and beyond is just setting a great example for other sports to follow too. What do you think of this? Share your thoughts with us below!