Continuing the Dream

By Valentina D.

Both Dr. King and his granddaughter, Yolanda, wanted to change the world for the better. The only difference is that Yolanda started a lot earlier in her life.

Yolanda Renee King, 14, is passionate about having a gun free world and isn’t going to give up until this happens. Her grandfather, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., played an important part in the American Civil Rights Movement. He is also famous for using non-violent ways to fight for equality for all people. Dr. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968. His birthday became a holiday in 1983, and now every 3rd Monday in January, his birthday is celebrated. This year is Jan. 16. 

Just like her famous grandfather, Yolanda King is an activist. She started speaking publicly about world problems at the young age of 9. At this point in her life, she was worried about guns. Yolanda gave a speech at March For Our Lives in Washington, D.C. This event was directed by kids who believed that there should be stronger laws for guns. “I was so nervous that I could feel my own heart beating when I walked on to the stage," Yolanda said in an interview with Newsela. But as soon as she hit the stage, her confidence grew, and you couldn’t even tell she was nervous. Yolanda spoke to the crowd and said, "Spread the word, have you heard? All across the nation, we are going to be a great generation!" 

She also made a reference to her grandfather's famous speech “I Have a Dream “ when she said, "I have a dream that enough is enough," referring to ending gun violence. This speech has been viewed 400,000 times on the internet, according to Newsela.

Yolanda has also advocated for a pathway to immigration. In August 2018, she made speeches about this issue at the U.S.- Mexico border. Since Yolanda is learning Spanish at her Atlanta school, she was able to speak to the crowd in Spanish. A few hours later she gave an interview with the Spanish-speaking news network Univision. 

Yolanda took action on another issue: homelessness. She and her family went to Washington D.C. for Dr. King's birthday in 2018. There they gave out food, scarves, and hats to unhoused people. Yolanda believes that this holiday is a day to work and serve the community.  Obviously, Yolanda is drawing strength from her grandfather’s memory and is creating a name for herself.