Members of the “Communities of Color” political advocacy coalition on Wednesday evening paid tribute to the life of Mel King, the 1983 mayoral candidate and former South End state lawmaker who passed at the age of 94 a day earlier.

The “Communities of Color” held the previously planned event in tandem with 10 Democratic ward committees inside Hibernian Hall. Organizers noted from the outset that no gathering could be held without homage to one of the greatest Black leaders in the city’s history.

“We couldn’t have an event like this in this community if we didn’t also acknowledge the impact Melvin King had on this community,” said attorney Joe Feaster, the emcee for the evening. “This night is for Mel King.”

The most moving tribute of the night came from King’s son, Michael, who addressed the crowd from the heart. Michael King said he was not focusing on “loss,” but rather having been blessed to watch his father up close for so many years.

“People keep telling me they’re sorry for my loss,” said Michael. “I tell them that I’m not sorry. I got a chance to have a front-row seat for the life of a pretty remarkable human being. I am blessed.”

Michael said he spent time with his father in his last moments on Tuesday and was able to reflect on all that Mel King had done for him and for the communities of Boston.

“I hung out with him for a while in the room and I didn’t feel a sense of loss,” he told the full-capacity crowd. “It kind of brought into focus for me his life. As it became more in focus, I began to really appreciate what he did.”

As people shared their condolences and stories with him throughout the day on Wednesday, he said he “got lifted up by all the people telling their stories.”

Michael King said he planned to keep working on Mel King’s South End Technology Center in the Tent City housing community, and he called on all the community members and elected officials to support him in that as a tribute to his father, Mel King.

Mayor Michelle Wu said one word was on her mind upon reflecting on Mel King’s passing and that word was ‘legacy.’

“I don’t think we will ever fully heal from the loss the King family experienced, and the city’s heartbeat has grown a little fainter at this moment,” said Wu. “There are so many organizations we take for granted like the Urban League and Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción (IBA), and so many other institutions that have all been here 50 years or 54 years. This is a generation of people like (Mel King) who built that foundation for us…They understood to make changes 50 years in the future they had to do whatever it takes despite what the headwinds might be…I am willing to rush into those winds with all of you.”

Gov. Maura Healey said she met Mel King when she was a first-time candidate running for attorney general and he invited her to one of his renowned Sunday Brunches.

“He was a man who saw a vision for what others thought was impossible, but he felt was possible,” she said. “We could not be celebrating the way we are celebrating tonight and confirming our commitment to justice and equity if not for Mel King.”

The Hibernian Hall event was part of a “thank you” celebration planned by the Communities of Color, following last year’s activism around the state and local election season, while also preparing for this year’s round of municipal elections. Also sponsoring the event were Democratic Ward Committees from Wards 18, 17, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9 and 8.