Like a preacher knowledgeable of her congregation, Yolanda King set the crowd afire on Wednesday, making them laugh and shout out in affirmation with her sassiness and enthusiasm and simmering them down to reverent silence with her wisdom.
About 200 people gathered at the McDonald Theatre to hear the message from Martin Luther King Jr.’s eldest daughter. And the message was clear: Her father’s dream of equality and social justice is still a vision that requires work and dedication.
“We as a nation, we as humanity, we have not yet reached the promised land,” she said, adding that the world still has to deal with racism, sexism, homophobia and other ills.
King said she was a “card-carrying believer” in the dream that her father advocated and spoke about in his legendary 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech.
“It’s a dream about freedom, freedom from oppression,” she said.
She reminded her audience that the struggle for that freedom is not ancient history.
“It was only 40 years ago that the ugly signs of segregation surrounded us,” King said, adding that people must make the choice to continue working for equality today.
She said life is about the unique choices each individual makes, and civil rights activists like her father and Rosa Parks actively opted to champion for change.
“Because Rosa Parks chose to stand up that day by remaining seated, she started a movement,” she said, adding that this movement had far-reaching effects for Americans.
“What did I tell you about the power of choice?” she asked.
However, she said there were some people who had a “woulda, coulda, shoulda mentality”; they may seem dedicated, but when the moment comes to take action, they are the first ones out the door.
“They can talk the talk, but you’re in for a disappointment if you expect them to walk the walk,” King said.
She said everyone can take a step for social change because the power to choose is available to all.
King, a social activist and actress, interlaced her rousing speech with lively theatrical performances of socially conscious characters from her production “Achieving the Dream.”
Her other on-screen portrayals include the roles of Judge Esther Green in the TV series “JAG,” Rosa Parks in the TV movie “King” and Betty Shabbazz in the film “Death of a Prophet.”
King finished her speech with a rendition of Maya Angelou’s poem, “Still I Rise.”
The city of Eugene then presented her with an honorary sign of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
The city renamed Centennial Boulevard as Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in July after extensive public debate on the change.
Ward 1 City Councilor Bonny Bettman said that as King continues her father’s legacy, she should know that there are individuals in towns nationwide also working toward the legacy in symbolic and significant ways.
Event Coordinator Betty Snowden said she invited King to share her father’s vision and challenge people to question how they can achieve the “dream” for themselves.
“I’m hoping that Eugene as a community, we will rededicate ourselves and realize we are all one people, all one family,” Snowden said.
Local human rights activist Bahati Ansari said King’s visit to Eugene was historical for her.
“Just to listen to her message, it keeps me going,” Ansari said. “It inspires me to do what I’m doing.”
King will continue to work for the dream. While one of her theatrical characters said “dreamwork is risky,” she reiterated that people still had to believe in the possibility of a better world and make a conscious choice to work for that vision.
“Unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final say, and so I’m a believer,” she said.