The African American Business Association (AABA) will host its 2026 Martin Luther King Jr. Brunch & Celebration on Jan. 17 in Joliet.

The brunch, which takes place from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at IBEW Local 176, 1100 NE Frontage Road, Joliet, will honor Martin Luther King’s legacy through a panel discussion, community service awards and a Dream Forward Vendor Expo, according to the release.

Congressman Jonathan L. Jackson, D-Chicago; Melody Spann-Cooper, chief executive officers of Midway Broadcasting Corporation; and Karla Guseman, superintendent, Joliet Township High School District 204, will discuss leadership, education, media and public service.

Jackson’s 1st Congessional District covers portions of Joliet and Cook, Will and Kankakee counties

Tanisha Cannon, deputy superintendent of Joliet Public Schools District 86, will moderate the discussion.

The following will each receive the 2026 Community Collaboration & Activism Award: Ericka Williams, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated; Jerry King, Black Bar Association of Will County; Julia Alexander, Including You, Inc.; and Helen Ross, Zonta Club of Joliet.

The Dream Forward Vendor Expo is an “entrepreneurial showcase highlighting local small businesses, creatives and community organizations, according to the release.

Tickets to the 2026 Martin Luther King Jr. Brunch & Celebration are $35. Purchase at aabaconnect.org.