Yolanda Renée King, the sole grandchild of the iconic civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, is taking the opportunity this MLK Day to spotlight the critical issue of voting rights.

In a conversation this morning with ABC News, the 17-year-old expressed her concerns as the Supreme Court deliberates on the potential rollback of significant voting rights legislation, a cause fervently supported by her grandfather, Dr. King.

“I’m genuinely worried about the direction we’re headed,” King stated. “Regarding the current state of my grandfather’s legacy, it seems, regrettably, that people might only awaken to its importance when parts of it are threatened or stripped away.”

Though she appreciates the national recognition of her grandfather through the holiday, King emphasized the necessity of continuing to advance the mission he initiated.

While she said she is grateful to honor her grandfather with a holiday, King stressed the importance of continuing the work he started.

“I think it is important that we realize that a part of his legacy and a part of our responsibility is to continue carrying on what he left behind. And I believe that currently, the state of our world and seeing certain things being under attack will awaken certain people.”

Despite her concerns, King said she remains hopeful about younger generations.

“When you look at younger generations, there’s a lot of leadership,” she said. “Young people have always had the ability to challenge the status quo.”

She also pointed to her grandfather’s age as a reminder of how much can be accomplished early in life.

“We have to remember that any sort of major movement, any sort of transformation has been led by the youth,” she said. “A lot pf people forget that my grandfather was only 39 when he was assassinated. He was able to complete all he was able to get done with a very short amount of time. He began the Montgomery bus boycott when he was in his twenties.”

As for people who think we no longer need the Voting Rights Act, King said, “I think it’s important in my book, there’s a line that says reading is believing. And so I think that people who say that are not possibly as well-read. And so ensuring that you understand the reasons for why we have put in place this Voting Rights Act to understand that, look at the legislation and look how they’re trying to take away the right for us to vote.”

In 2023, Yolanda added author to her growing list of roles with the release of her illustrated children’s book, We Dream a World: Carrying the Light from My Grandparents. In the book, she reflects on the lessons passed down by her grandparents while emphasizing the importance of creating her own path.