Yolanda Renee King, granddaughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., is aiming to inspire 100 million service hours in honor of her grandfather’s legacy and 2029 centennial birthday. Through the Realize the Dream Initiative, she hopes to encourage a new generation to engage in acts of service, fostering unity and social change.

Alongside her parents, Martin Luther King III and Arndrea Waters King, the 16-year-old has set upon the mission aimed at performing 100 million hours of service to honor her late grandfather’s centennial birthday as a part of the Realize the Dream Initiative.

If you are unfamiliar with this initiative, the goal of Realize the Dream is to, per the initiatives official website, “[empower] youth, families, employees and community members plus a growing coalition of educators, NGOs and non-profits with easy-to-use tools and resources to be agents of change through service, including free downloadable service guides and turnkey service-earning campaigns designed to foster a culture of service from classrooms to neighborhoods – all year long.”

In other words, the Martin’s are encouraging us all to “supercharge kindness.”

Girls United took a moment to catch up with the dynamic young activist to find out more about Realize the Dream and how it feels for her to carry such an important legacy in today’s society. Take a look at a snippet of King’s interview below.

GU: How did the 2025 Realize the Dream initiative come to be?

Yolanda Renee King: Realize the Dream was born out of a simple but powerful idea: what if we didn’t just talk about my grandfather’s legacy but actually lived it? My parents, Martin Luther King III and Arndrea Waters King, wanted to find a way to honor his 100th birthday in 2029 by doing something truly meaningful. So, we set this ambitious goal: 100 million hours of service. It’s a way to turn inspiration into action—not just to celebrate my grandfather’s life, but to keep his work alive.

GU: What does it mean to live under such an impactful legacy?

Yolanda Renee King: Carrying my grandfather’s legacy is both an honor and a responsibility—but it’s also about my grandmother, Coretta Scott King. She was the backbone of the Civil Rights Movement, ensuring that my grandfather’s message didn’t fade after his passing. She fought for justice, peace, and equality just as fiercely, and she showed me that legacy isn’t just something you inherit—it’s something you actively build. For me, carrying this legacy means more than just remembering the past; it means stepping up and continuing the work both of them started. It means using my voice, just as both of my grandparents did, to demand justice and inspire action.

My grandparents’ dream wasn’t just about them—it was about all of us. It was about creating The Beloved Community—a world where love, justice, and equality guide everything we do. That vision can only become a reality if each of us takes part in making it happen.

GU: What does community service mean to you? Why is it so important?

Yolanda Renee King: To me, community service is about love in action. It’s not about how much money you have or how much power you hold—it’s about showing up for people, caring for your neighbors, and doing something, no matter how small, to make the world better.

Community service is how we turn empathy into real change. It’s how we bring people together, lift each other up, and create a future that’s fair and just for everyone.

GU: What is the impact of community service?

Yolanda Renee King: Service has the power to change everything—our communities, our perspectives, and even our own hearts. My grandfather dreamed of a world where we uplift each other, and my grandmother worked tirelessly to turn that dream into reality. She understood that service is one of the most powerful ways to create lasting change. When we serve, we do more than help others—we grow as individuals. We start to see that no act of kindness is too small and that when we all contribute, we can transform the world. Realize the Dream is built on this belief: that when we come together to serve, we are actively shaping the just and compassionate world that my grandparents envisioned.

To read King’s interview in its entirety, click here.

Are you ready to join in the initiative and pledge 100 million service hours by 2029 in celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s centennial birthday? If so, find out how you can your family can get involved by visiting the Realize the Dream Initiative website or downloading the app.

Photo: Realize the Dream Instagram; Yolanda Renee King Instagram