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Every January a local nonprofit holds a citywide summit that features events inspired by the work of Martin Luther King Jr., called DreamWeek San Antonio.

For this year, DreamWeek San Antonio 2026 offers the theme of “Revelations: Unlocking Our Full Potential.”

Shokare Nakpodia created DreamWeek 13 years ago. It’s an opportunity for collaboration across the city.

“DreamWeek is an annual summit that takes place in January, and we invite local organizations and residents to host events celebrating our uniqueness as a city. And we have held it, typically across the MLK celebration,” Nakpodia said.

The name DreamWeek dates back to a time when this event was much smaller, with a slate of events scheduled over about a week’s time.

DreamWeek in San Antonio brings 17 days of art, education, and entertainment from January 9-31 at venues citywide — all with a mission of rejoicing in the shared humanity envisioned in Martin Luther King Jr.’s immortal “I Have a Dream” speech.

Since its founding in 2013, DreamWeek has hosted over a thousand events, from plays to gallery shows to thought-provoking symposiums. With so many inspirational happenings on the calendar, it can be hard to know where to start, but we’ve curated a few standout picks. Check out the full list of events here.

The citywide summit DreamWeek San Antonio will kick off Jan. 9. Initiated in 2013 by Shokare Nakpodia, DreamWeek aims to foster dialogue around the issues central to the life and work of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and serves as an open forum for participants, organizers and event-goers to share their perspectives, discuss real-world issues, and exchange ideas.

DreamWeek 2025 boasted 100-plus events over 16 action-packed days, and 2026 DreamWeek will surpass that with a schedule of 22 days and more than 200 events. Attendees are invited to explore diverse voices, celebrate cultural heritage, and participate in meaningful conversations that shine a light on the truths and untapped resources within the community.

“As DreamWeek San Antonio has become a more established platform for civil and civic dialogue, the demand for more time slots and events has naturally increased. Extending the schedule allows for a greater volume and variety of programming without overcrowding the daily schedule,” said Frank Trejo, chief of communications and engagement for DreamWeek San Antonio.

The FreeRides Program is helping patrons get home safely at participating San Antonio bars. This year’s theme, “We Are Neighbor,” calls us to unite in building safer, more connected communities.

SAN ANTONIO – A community event sought to show off the beautiful culture and heritage of Nigeria to visitors across San Antonio.

As part of the Alamo city’s Dreamweek celebrations, the L’Afrique Fashion Show delighted visitors from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday at the Brick at Blue Star.

The L’Afrique Fashion Show showcased the culture of Nigeria. Organizers say events like this help bring the community together, and provide fashion tips.

“One of the things that people need to help others do is dress and dress well,” Dupe Adedeji of Tudi’s African Boutique said. “Not everybody has a sense of fashion. I don’t mean that in an ugly way, but you know, like someone like me, that’s my niche. I love fashion, it doesn’t matter what’s going on, I just want to dress up, and I love to dress people up. So that’s one of the reasons why I do this.”

SAN ANTONIO – Fifteen children were each honored with the “Dream Leader” award on Saturday as part of their volunteering efforts towards improving their communities.

The 10-year tradition at the DoSeum has been part of the DreamWeek summit, a series of events and community activities every January in San Antonio.

“I was really surprised when my mom just came in saying, ‘Shanaya, you’re a Dream Leader!’ You’re like, what?“ 10-year-old winner Shanaya Patel said.

Each award fits in the arts, city, youth, justice, sportsmanship, and education categories.

“San Antonio’s going to continue to be a strong community because the next generation’s got us in good hands,” former Dream Leader Mya Blondel Johnson said. “This is what children need. They need this platform to learn, grow, and thrive.”

Johnson, who served as the emcee for the awards ceremony, continued to say, “I was just so happy that these kids are finally getting recognized for their amazing work.”

Michael Lenton, another Dream Leader, has read more than one million words in a year and collected the most cans of food for a food drive at his school.

“I do this for my parents, and I know my granny, who’s in heaven right now, who would want me to do this for her,” Michael said.

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Shokare “Sho” Nakpodia, founder of DreamWeek San Antonio, as he shares how Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of equality and unity influences this annual summit. Appearing on SA Live, Sho discusses the mission of DreamWeek 2025, fostering dialogue and action for the common good. Discover how this 17-day event, happening January 10-26, honors MLK’s legacy by creating spaces for meaningful conversations, cultural celebrations, and innovative ideas.

For 13 years now, San Antonio has hosted a summit inspired by the teachings of Martin Luther King Jr., called DreamWeek San Antonio.

This year the summit coincides with the presidential inauguration and is a series of events created around the city’s MLK March, which organizers say is one of the largest in the country. Its theme, “We are neighbor,” was chosen to embrace unity of people of all backgrounds.

Some DreamWeek San Antonio events dive further into the histories of different cultures to foster the free exchange of ideas between communities, while others include informative and fun speaker panels.

DreamWeek San Antonio founder, Shokare Nakpodia, said the 2025 theme embraces the principles of empathy, solidarity and mutual support to foster a culture of neighborliness that transcends borders.

“Together, we can inspire change, foster unity, and create a city where everyone feels valued and empowered,” Nakpodia said. “We are neighbors, not just by proximity, but by the shared tapestry of our diverse ideas and collective aspirations, weaving a community that thrives through unity and understanding.”

This year, the multi-week summit offers more than 200 separate events across 16 days between Jan. 10 to Jan. 26. To see the full list of events scheduled, click here.

Below are some highlights happening every day during DreamWeek.

Acting under Duress, Surviving with Resilience Exhibit

See seven display panels of four formerly incarcerated survivors’ stories in prose and photos at the University of Incarnate Word’s Condo Student Gallery. Content Advisory: there are written descriptions of violence. 

Available until Jan. 25, the exhibit humanizes and contextualizes the actions of abuse survivors under duress and how that led to incarceration.

On Jan. 25 at 3 p.m., Judge Rosie Speedlin Gonzalez, Patricia Castillo of the PEACE Initiative, Doshie Piper of the UIW’s criminal justice department, and Cathy Marston of Free Battered Texas Women will discuss how to create justice for survivors at the university’s Library Auditorium.

Black Cowboys: An American Story

Frank Trejo, a digital strategist for DreamWeek, joined the KSAT Q&A on Friday with Stephania Jimenez and Myra Arthur to discuss what the DreamWeek summit is all about.

Williamsport is inviting the public to join its celebration of Dream Week, in honor of the “Mission Possible: Protecting Freedom, Justice and Democracy in memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“It is an invitation to all to attend the Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Service, a defining moment each year when Americans across the country step up to make communities more equitable and take action to create the Beloved Community of Dr. King’s dream,” a news release said. “Dr. King’s acknowledgement and fight for systemic change serves as the call to action for the Day of Service.”

MLK Day is the only federal holiday designated as a National Day of Service to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities.

During the last quarter-century, the MLK Day of Service has grown, and its impact increased as more Americans embraced the idea that citizenship involves taking an active role in improving communities.

STEP AmeriCorps, Pennsylvania College of Technology, Lycoming College, the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, the United Way of Lycoming County, the United Churches of Lycoming County, and the James V. Brown Library are partnering for Dream Week 2025.

The highlighted events will kick off on Monday, Jan. 20, with the STEP AmeriCorps Peace Walk and hygiene drive, preceded by a children’s event at the library. There are several other opportunities to take part in the Dream Week starting on Jan. 17 listed below.

The Peace Walk, however, will begin at noon at Bethel AME Church, 601 Hepburn St. Participants will depart on a trek that is about a one-mile loop and return to the church. Participants are encouraged to bring a hygiene item to the walk: collected goods will be distributed to local shelters and social service providers.

On Friday, Jan. 24, Penn College is hosting a “Lunch and Learn” on the topic of financial literacy. The luncheon, facilitated by Cornerstone Independent Asset Management, will be held at STEP’s Williamsport campus on Boyd Street.

On Saturday, Jan. 25, the United Churches of Lycoming County will organize a bus trip to the African American Museum of History & Culture in Washington, D.C. Tickets are available for $64 each. Interested individuals should call 570-322-1110.

In addition to events, Dream Week 2025 will offer many service opportunities in our community beginning on Friday, Jan. 17. Opportunities include preparing meals, serving meals, packing food boxes, a clothing drive, and produce distribution.

The full list of service opportunities and events, along with registration, can be found at www.stepcorp.org/mlk.

Dream Week events are plentiful and run from Jan. 17 through Jan. 25.

On Jan. 17, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., a Meal Prep and Meal and Message will be held at New Covenant United Church of Christ, 202 E. Third St.