MLK’s granddaughter Yolanda Renee King pens children’s book in hopes of inspiring change
Speaking with theGrio, Yolanda Renee King explains how "We Dream A World” pays homage to the legacies of Coretta Scott King and Martin Luther King Jr.
Just ahead of MLK Day, Yolanda Renee King, the only grandchild of Coretta Scott King and Martin Luther King Jr., published a children’s picture book titled “We Dream A World: Carrying the Light from My Grandparents.” The book is a heartwarming tribute, a charge to young children, and a reclamation of the youngest King family member’s own voice and power.
With its release coinciding with the 95th birthday of her grandfather, “We Dream A World” serves as a gift to both him and the world. The picture book is inspired by Langston Hughes’ poem “I Dream A World,” which also inspired her grandfather’s famed “I Have A Dream” speech. Speaking with theGrio, King shared that her goal with the book was to create a similar body of work portraying the dream of a modern world that is inclusive and accepting for all people.
“[A] lot of times, [pieces like ‘I Dream A World’ and the ‘I Have A Dream’ speech] feel, especially for my generation, so far from our time,” she explained. “We need some content that’s almost a modernized, revitalized version of that. I think that’s what this book allows us. It creates relevance for my generation.”
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The close proximity the now 15-year-old King has had to her grandparents’ work, beliefs, and values has allowed her to remain connected to their legacy, something she truly values and appreciates. In the opening of her first book, King expresses her love and admiration for her ancestors, paying homage to their legacies and the truly transformative work both did in the world.
“You were gone before I came into this world, but that dream — and so many others — lives deep inside me,” she writes. “Everything you believed in still shines like the brightest sunrise on a golden horizon.”
After that tribute to her grandparents, King reclaims her own voice, accepting the challenge to continue their work. She powerfully proclaims that the wisdom and determination ingrained in her now allow her to blaze a path and fulfill her dreams, actively declaring her decision to enact change on her own terms. King said she hopes young readers who look like her are filled with the affirmation and encouragement that they can do everything they want to do — without limitations.
“The world almost seems to beat us down, and I think that that section [of the book] kind of inspires young Black girls [to] overcome,” said King. “With work and with commitment, we can fully eliminate [those obstacles], and we are strong enough. We have a suit of armor that will protect us.”
Kayla Grant is a multimedia journalist with bylines in Business Insider, Shondaland, Oz Magazine, Prism, Rolling Out and more. She writes about culture, books and entertainment news. Follow her on Twitter: @TheKaylaGrant
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