Thursday, April 24, 2025
The Long Beach City Council approved a new lease agreement with MLK Center Inc. last month, allowing the group to continue using its building on Riverside Boulevard as a community center. It was the first such agreement between the city and the center in 30 years.
Residents, city officials and even County Executive Bruce Blakeman gathered at the center on March 8 to cut the ribbon on a new era for the facility. The attendees were then treated to a brunch.
“I want to thank each and every member and board member that came out today who had a part of us renewing a lease, which the MLK (Center) has not had for almost 30 years,” board member Marcia Gray said. “We’re going to stand proud. I know it has not been easy, but I want to thank Dan,” Gray added, referring to City Manager Dan Creighton. “We’re looking forward to the partnership with the City of Long Beach and everyone else.”
During the brunch, attendees ventured inside the building, mingling, smiling and laughing, with the stress of finalizing the lease now behind them.
“I could not have asked for a better partner than Sheena,” Creighton said of the center’s board chair, Sheena Curry. “She worked very hard to make this happen. This is important to everybody in this room. This was important to the city. This is important to everybody in Long Beach. The MLK Center is part of Long Beach. The MLK Center is Long Beach. We need to make sure that we treat it that way.”
The center has had its share of financial difficulties over the years. The city began an eviction process against it in 2022, saying that it “consistently failed to meet” with city administrators to negotiate a lease. The new agreement puts an end to that process.
“I could thank everyone in the room for all of the help that they have given me,” Curry said. “When I came into the MLK center in March, I had $927 in the bank account. We were able to make it happen, and we’re still standing.”
The brunch wasn’t an occasion to look back on the struggles of the past, but rather a chance to look toward the future. Curry spoke of the hopes she has for the center moving forward, and called for people across the community to help out in any way they can, either by donating money or giving their time.
“We need more people that’s going to do it from the heart, and just do it because they care for these kids and care for these seniors,” Curry said. “So I’m up here saying all the people that would like to volunteer, that are aligned with our mission, that are aligned with our direction and aligned with the way that we do things, I say, come in and help us, because we definitely need help.”
The center offers a wide variety of programs for people of all ages, ranging from theater, dance and arts and crafts to STEM, sports and ensuring that children finish all their schoolwork. It also hosts meals at holidays including Thanksgiving for those in need. As well, there are collaborations with other service organizations on adult enrichment classes, and food and clothing drives.
Even without a lease agreement, the center has continued to offer all those services to the public for free, despite shortages of volunteers and, much of the time, money. Since Curry took over last year, the facility has applied for a handful of grants, so it can offer even more.
City Council Vice President Chris Fiumara said that when he, council President Brendan Finn, and Councilman Mike Reinhart began their tenure in January 2024, joining Councilmen John Bendo and Roy Lester, one of their priorities was to settle the back-and-forth on the MLK Center’s lease.
“One of the things I wanted to do in this position was make sure, within a year or so, we had this done and we had a lease,” Fiumara said. “It was so important to me. Everybody who was involved, thank you. It’s a great thing for Long Beach, and I encourage everybody to use this center. Today’s a good day, and today I’m proud to not stand as the vice president of the City Council, but I really am sincerely proud to be a Long Beach resident.”
