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# Education leader to lead MLK celebration
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/education-leader-to-lead-mlk-celebration/
- Published: 2005-01-06T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T05:56:39.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Events, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*By Daily Press staff*

Paul F. Cummins, long-time Santa Monica educator and currently executive director of the New Visions Foundation, will be the keynote speaker at the birthday celebration of The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Jan. 17 at the First United Methodist Church, 1008 11th St., Santa Monica.

The free event, which has become one of the largest celebrations of its kind in Southern California, is scheduled for 9 a.m. The event is coordinated by the Martin Luther King, Jr. Westside Coalition, a nonprofit coalition whose missions are consistent with King’s legacy. It is co-sponsored by Santa Monica College, the city of Santa Monica, and the SMC Associates.

The multi-ethnic, interfaith program also will include inspirational readings, music, and presentations of scholarships. Immediately following the program will be a community involvement fair with refreshments and informational booths of various community organizations. The theme is “State of the Union: A Time for Love, Not Hate; for Understanding, Not Anger; for Peace, Not War.”

Cummins, who is best known as founder and headmaster of the prestigious Crossroads School in Santa Monica, as well as the New Visions Foundation and PS Arts, received his bachelor’s degree from Stanford, his master’s from Harvard and his doctorate from USC.

He founded Crossroads in 1970 and, under the aegis of New Visions, was the primary founder of New Roads School, as well as a co-founder of Camino Nuevo Charter Academy; creator of CEO (Center for Educational Opportunity), which places foster children in independent schools; and founder of Families Helping Families, which redirects low-income families into life-changing new directions.

In addition, New Visions has instituted an after-school program at Camp Gonzales, a probationary incarceration school, to redirect and relocate juvenile students.

His publications include several articles on education and numerous poems that have appeared in journals such as The New Republic, Poetry LA, Whole Notes, Wild Bamboo Press, Bad Haircut Quarterly, Wordwrights, Slant and more. He also is the author of several books.

Cummins and his wife Mary Ann live in Santa Monica. They have four daughters.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on January 6, 2005.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/010605.pdf?ref=smdp.com)