MINNEAPOLIS, MN — General Mills (NYSE: GIS) presents the 36th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Breakfast in support of UNCF Twin Cities. The event will be held at the Minneapolis Convention Center on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. Doors open at 6:45 a.m., with breakfast and pre-event programming beginning at 7:30 a.m. Tickets are available at MLKBreakfast.com.
The Minneapolis-based event is one of the nation’s largest annual breakfast celebrations honoring Dr. King. The breakfast supports UNCF’s mission of investing in young men and women in the Twin Cities to help them get to and through college.
This year’s theme “Make a Career of Humanity,” was inspired by Dr. King’s message, “Commit yourself to the noble struggle for equal rights. You will make a greater person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in."
This year’s event will feature two keynote presentations, Soledad O’Brien and Dr. Freeman A. Hrabowski, III.
Soledad O’Brien is an award-winning documentarian, author and founder of Soledad O’Brien Productions, a media production company dedicated to telling empowering and authentic stories. Soledad’s most recent projects include the award-winning HBO Original documentary, The Devil is Busy, and the Netflix documentary The Perfect Neighbor, which premiered at Sundance.
Dr. Freeman A. Hrabowski, III is a consultant, lecturer and speaker on the topics of leadership, STEM education, workforce development and civic engagement. Hrabowski currently serves as President Emeritus of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), championing minority achievement in graduate studies.
"On this day of remembrance and reflection, we gather to celebrate the enduring legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,” said Dr. Michael L. Lomax, president and CEO, UNCF. “His commitment to justice and equality inspires us to continue the work of uplifting our communities through the power of education. With the invaluable support of General Mills, a steadfast partner of UNCF, we are reminded that together we can create pathways to success for our youth and honor Dr. King’s dream."
The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Breakfast inspires action in the world and honors those in the community who uplift others. Consider the unique ways that you can make a difference by volunteering to commemorate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by visiting https://www.handsontwincities.org/mlkday.
One of our nation’s most respected voices in journalism, Soledad O’Brien is an award-winning documentarian, author and founder of Soledad O’Brien Productions, a media production company dedicated to telling empowering and authentic stories. Soledad’s most recent projects include the award-winning HBO Original documentary, The Devil is Busy, and the Netflix documentary The Perfect Neighbor, which premiered at Sundance. She also anchored and produced Matter of Fact with Soledad O'Brien, a nationally syndicated Hearst political magazine program known for shaping public conversation.
A civil rights leader jailed as a youth, Dr. Freeman A. Hrabowski, III, is President Emeritus of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), where he served as president for two decades, championing minority achievement in graduate studies. A consultant, lecturer, and speaker, Hrabowski addresses leadership, STEM education, workforce development and civic engagement. His research and publications focus on science and math education, particularly minority participation and performance.
Billy Steele, of the renowned Steele family and three-time Grammy-winning Sounds of Blackness, will provide musical entertainment. The youngest of the Steele siblings, Billy will share his talents alongside a curated group of local musicians. With three decades of experience in performing, writing and producing music, Billy currently serves as the musical director for Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church in Minneapolis.
The annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Breakfast began when General Mills and UNCF Twin Cities joined together in 1991 to host a community celebration to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Past speakers include Dr. Bernice King, Yolanda King, Ambassador Andrew Young, U.S. Rep. John Lewis, the Honorable Eric H. Holder, CNN’s Laura Coates, Valerie Jarrett, former Secretary of State Gen. Colin Powell, Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr., Harry Belafonte, Marian Wright Edelman, Donna Brazile, Vernon Jordan and, most recently, Michele Norris.
Additional support has been generously provided by Best Buy, the event’s presenting sponsor, in addition to Target, C.H. Robinson, Cargill, Medtronic and 3M.
To purchase tickets for the event or for more information, visit MLKBreakfast.com. The event will be broadcast live on WCCO AM at 8:30 a.m. and will stream on WCCO-TV’s free streaming channel CBS News Minnesota beginning at 1 p.m. The keynote presentations also will air on Minnesota Public Radio during the midday segment.
