Darlene Evans has been an integral part of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Westside Coalition for approximately 30 years, serving as Board chair for over 20 of those years. During her tenure, the Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration has evolved into an extended weekend of impactful events, including a Thursday night program frequently focused on Youth, a Friday Prayer Breakfast, performances by the Santa Monica Symphony and a Community Involvement Fair that hosts approximately 25 nonprofit organizations.

With her at the helm, Darlene and the 2020 – 2021 Coalitions kept the annual Celebration active and engaged during the COVID pandemic when most in-person events were cancelled. She spearheaded the effort to present programs via Zoom, soliciting and assembling video performances, inspirational remarks and implementing a widely appreciated In Memoriam segment to the presentations. Based on the success of the virtual celebrations, Darlene introduced a live streaming component to the in-person programs, which has continued to this day.

Darlene has worked closely with local partners, including the City of Santa Monica, SGI – USA, Santa Monica College (SMC), and RAND Corporation, to ensure the success of the events. Darlene passed the baton for the Board Chair position in 2024 the current chair, Dr. Bernice Brown.