Bernice King Inspires Hundreds at Black Girls Dream Conference: “Embrace Your Strength, Find Your Purpose”
Daughter of MLK Shares Powerful Message of Resilience
Bernice King, the youngest daughter of the iconic Martin Luther King Jr., addressed hundreds of women at the Black Girls Dream Conference on June 8. She spoke candidly about her upbringing as a shy and curious young girl, surrounded by tragedy yet exposed to resilient women who shaped her journey.
“I went through a lot of anger for a few seasons because of all the loss I’ve had in my life,” she revealed during the live session. The lawyer went on to talk about her realization that her mood was self-destructive.
Crediting Her Mother’s Strength and Village of Women
Growing up in a family of extraordinary leaders, Bernice was given faith, strength, and an understanding of her power. She spoke highly of her mother, Coretta Scott King, crediting her father’s fame to Coretta’s support.
“She was a powerful woman in her own right before she met him,” Bernice said, emphasizing the crucial role the village of black women around her played in navigating the world.
Mastering Emotions and Finding Purpose
The peace advocate challenged attendees to master and discipline their emotions, and shared an invaluable lesson from her mother: to never make a decision while angry. She emphasized the importance of involving God as a partner in life’s decisions.
“When you make decisions in life, don’t leave God out of the equation… You need Him as a partner,” she said. Additionally, she emphasized finding your purpose, urging attendees to find a problem they can answer and provide a solution to.
Challenge to Embrace Strength and Purpose
Bernice challenged the women in the audience to identify the problem they needed to solve and remain steadfast in their purpose as women. Looking back on her upbringing, Bernice sees herself as a role model for dignity in a world with few examples.
“I am obviously a student of my father’s nonviolence,” she said, clarifying that nonviolence is a “spiritual thing and a mentality that transcends the physical realm.”
Afrofuturism and Inspiring Dreams
Hosted for the fourth year by the Southern Black Girls and Women’s Consortium, the conference brought together more than 1,300 girls and women in Atlanta for a weekend of inspiration and empowerment focused on Afrofuturism.
The 2024 event aimed to inspire attendees to dream bigger through workshops, discussions, and resources for making those dreams come true.
