Seventeen-year-old Yolanda Renee King, Martin Luther King Jr.’s granddaughter, was answering questions from a panel of young people at Colorado College on Sunday, January 18, 2026. An image of her grandfather is projected on a screen behind her during her visit. King is the daughter of Martin Luth er King III. She will be attending a march Monday morning from the Antlers Hotel to Acacia Park in honor of the Martin Luther King Day. Italia Bonaparte (right) was one of the panelists. Growing up as the only grandchild of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, Yolanda Renee King became aware of the significance of her last name at a very early age. But she says she has never felt burdened by it. “My parents never placed any burdens on me, and I’m grateful for that,” said King, 17. “But maybe because I was constantly around this work, and because my parents never excluded me from their conversations, I’ve always had a genuine passion and concern for humanity, and for bettering the world.” The youth activist and public speaker is in Colorado Springs for “Mission Possible II – Building Community, Uniting a Nation the Nonviolent Way,” a series of events honoring King’s legacy. On Sunday, Yolanda participated in an educational event at the Cornerstone Arts Center. On Monday — the national holiday named for her grandfather — she was scheduled to deliver a keynote speech at the annual MLK Prayer Breakfast before joining the Unity March from The Antlers hotel to Acacia Park. Despite the fact that she is not yet old enough to vote, Yolanda is already a nationally known human rights advocate. She has spoken at several national events, including the March for Our Lives Rally in Washington, D.C., a student-led demonstration against gun violence. She has also appeared on programs and panels encouraging young people to become civically engaged. Seventeen-year-old Yolanda Renee King, Martin Luther King Jr.’s granddaughter, was answering questions from a panel of young people at Colorado College on Sunday, January 18, 2026. An image of her grandfather is projected on a screen behind her during her visit. King is the daughter of Martin Luther King III. She will be attending a march Monday morning from the Antlers Hotel to Acacia Park in honor of the Martin Luther King Day. “If you look at most social movements, you will notice that they are led by youth,” she said. “My grandfather became involved in the civil rights movement when he was in his 20s. My grandmother became active in the anti-war movement when she was in college. So it’s not that unusual for someone my age to be active in social causes.” In 2023, Yolanda authored the illustrated children’s book “We Dream a World: Carrying the Light from My Grandparents.” In the book, she credits her grandparents with equipping her with the tools to create her own legacy. “Grandaddy and Grandma, thanks to your wisdom and determination, I now have my own footsteps, my own journey. My own dreams for our world,” she writes. “And so, while I follow your example, I am also ready to lead.” While in Colorado Springs, King will speak with local young leaders about the power of nonviolence and the importance of actively engaging with their communities. “A lot of times people want to go straight to the action and skip over certain elementary things they can do,” said King, the daughter of Martin Luther King III and Arndrea Waters King. “The first thing they can do, if they are old enough, is vote — not just in national elections, but in local elections. “If you are in a position like mine, where you might not be able to vote yet, I think it’s important to encourage those around you — your friends and relatives — to vote. You can also join local communities that are advocating for issues you care about. It’s our responsibility to remind people that we still have work to do.” ...read more read less