If Martin Luther King Jr. were alive today, he’d probably be shedding tears of joy after witnessing what his 9 year old grandbaby, Yolanda Renee King, just did. It’s been nearly 55 years since Dr. King gave his inspiring “I Have A Dream” speech in front of thousands of people during the March On Washington. On Saturday, March 24, 2018, little Yolanda gave a powerful speech at the March For Our Lives Rally in Washington, D.C. in front of thousands of people. Her speech played on her grandfather’s 1963 speech, except Yolanda added her own spin to it, in protest of gun violence and the lack of gun control in America.
MLK’s Grandbaby’s Speech
The March For Our Lives Rally was sparked by the Valentine’s Day massacre, in which 17 students and staff of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL were brutally murdered by Nikolas Cruz (19). During the rally, Yolanda Renee King bravely stepped onto the stage, hand in hand with Parkland survivor and gun control activist, Jaclyn Corin.
As Yolanda entered the stage, they seemed uncertain of who she was, that was until she proudly introduced herself as the granddaughter of Martin Luther King. Needless to say the crowd got hyped and immediately gave her a thunderous applause. Yolanda kept her speech short, yet very powerful…
“My grandfather had a dream that his four little children will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character,” Yolanda R. King said to the crowd. “I have a dream that enough is enough. And that this should be a gun-free world, period.”
The proud nine year old then proceeded to lead the crowd in a chant, not once, not twice, but three times with confidence and determination that any parent/grandparent would be proud of: “Spread the word! Have you heard? All across the nation, we are going to be a great generation!”
The crowd loved Yolanda’s delivery and so did her family. Yolanda’s aunt, Dr. Bernice A. King, reposted her niece’s speech on social media, as she stood backstage looking on. Her post’s caption read, “Very proud Aunt. My niece, Yolanda Renee King, truly represented the King Family.”
https://www.facebook.com/100010984091479/videos/558228801219918/
FYI: Yolanda Renee King is named after her aunt, Yolanda King, who passed away in 2007 from heart failure.
Another Child Demands Recognition Of Black People At Rally
In addition to Yolanda Renee King’s touching speech, an 11 year old named Naomi Wadler, also gave a moving speech at the March For Our Lives Rally. Naomi was chosen to speak at the rally after organizing a school walkout, at her Alexandria, Virginia school, to protest gun violence, in honor of the murdered students and staff at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, who were mostly White.
Naomi’s rally speech was a demand/wake-up call that the same passion, swift action, and compassion need to be shown to Black victims of gun violence as well. Here’s what Naomi said:
“I am here to acknowledge and represent the African-American girls whose stories don’t make the front page of every national newspaper, whose stories don’t lead on the evening news. I represent the African-American women who are victims of gun violence, who are simply statistics instead of vibrant, beautiful girls full of potential.
We know life isn’t equal for everyone and we know what is right and wrong. We also know that we stand in the shadow of the Capitol, and we know that we have seven short years until we too have the right to vote. … For far too long, these names, these black girls and women, have been just numbers. I’m here to say ‘Never again,’ for those girls too. I’m here to say that everyone should value those girls too… People have said that I am too young to have these thoughts on my own. People have said that I am a tool of some nameless adult. It’s not true.”
I don’t know about y’all, but I have a feeling this will NOT be the last we’ll here from Yolanda Renee King and Naomi Wadler. Looking forward to seeing what the universe has in store for the bright future that lies ahead for these young ladies.
