“We’re in the Room Today” - In Conversation with Dr. Bernice King

Friends,

I had an incredibly powerful experience this weekend, and I had to tell you about it.

This past Saturday, I had the honor of hosting an hour-long discussion with Dr. Bernice King, CEO of The King Center. Yes, that’s right, Dr. Bernice King and I are just chatting like we’re hanging out in the living room! The event took place as part of the National Parents Union Parent Power Summit, reaching Black and Brown parent leaders all across the country.

My entire family joined to watch — including my 83 year old grandmother who was born and raised in the Jim Crow South in Mississippi and could have never imagined this moment. The opportunity to speak with Dr. King wasn’t just for me, it was for our whole family. It was a recognition of how we keep sacrificing, we keep rising, and we keep reaching for more.

We as Black women are often called on to fix things and lead the way forward, whether or not we have the tools. The work chose Dr. King to lead — she inherited the mantle from Dr. Coretta Scott King and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. — and wow, is she leading. And it’s because of the seeds they planted that “we’re in the room today.”

We talked about what black women uniquely bring to the struggle, how we keep going, advice for my own daughter, and so much more. As I said in the discussion, her words made me feel the weight of bricks coming off my shoulders —  we can’t solve it all, but we can keep planting seeds that will be harvested by future generations.

Watch our conversation here. And drop me a line to let me know what you think.

Lakisha