Aurora's Martin Luther King Jr. ceremony begins at 11 a.m. today with ABC7's Hosea Sanders

In honor of the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther, Jr., the City of Aurora will host the virtual 37th annual MLK Commemoration at 11 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 17.

This year's theme, "Be the Voice for Things That Matter," will be represented by the ceremony's keynote speaker who has been a voice in Chicago media for nearly 30 years - ABC7 Chicago news anchor and reporter Hosea Sanders.

A 14-time Emmy Award winner, Hosea Sanders plays a major role at ABC 7 News, both in the news and programming areas. Sanders is a main contributor for the Chicago Proud series of stories which give voice to everyday community heroes. He also hosts the "Heart & Soul" series, the Countdown Chicago New Year's Eve special, Celebrating Ability series, the Bud Billiken Parade broadcast, the Great Chicago Blood Drive, and several other programs that really matter in highlighting the community.

The ceremony will also feature remarks from local officials, musical tributes from Gospel artist Barbetta Neil and saxophonist Theo Fisher, and the presentation of the annual Donna J. Williams MLK Day of Service Awards to community advocates who are helping to move Aurora forward in their respective fields.

The annual celebration, which traditionally brings together more than 1,000 participants, will be virtual for the second year and live-streamed on the city's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CityofAuroraIL.