© 2026 ABC News

\"We are planning to come back, especially after what we saw from Congress [on Wednesday],\" King said. \"They blocked these bills again and it's really frustrating.\"

\"It's sad and disappointing that we are still facing the same issues that we did 58 years ago,\" King continued. \"We really need to make more progress. And while I think about how much of an honor it is for me to be doing what my grandfather and family did, it's concerning that we're battling the same issues that they did.\"

\"PHOTO:
Daniel Knighton/Getty Images
PHOTO: Yolanda Renee King (R), granddaughter of Martin Luther King Jr., speaks next to her father Martin Luther King III, and mother Arndrea Waters King at the 2020 March on Washington, at the Lincoln Memorial, Aug. 28, 2020, in Washington, D.C.
>

Wednesday's protest was King's first act of civil disobedience, but it was not her first time speaking on the national stage. She was just 9 years old when she spoke at the March for Our Lives rally in March 2018. Since then, she has continued to advocate for gun safety, as well as voting rights, climate action, women's rights and racial equality.

King told ABC News that although she has known about her family's legacy for as long as she can remember, it was around the same year as her March for Our Lives speech that she really understood the weight of her grandparents' contribution to civil rights in America.

\"I would say it was around fourth grade when I really understood the significance of my grandparents' work. That's when it really clicked for me,\" King said. \"Many people don't understand, my grandfather did not just make a change in the United States, but he really changed the world.\"

\"Even now, I'm learning stuff every day and I find myself asking questions when looking at some of their demonstrations and how they were beaten,\" she added. \"Would I have done that? Would I have been brave enough to do that because that takes a lot of courage? And so I think and say, 'Wow, they had a lot of perseverance.'\"

\"PHOTO:
Jonathan Ernst/Pool/Getty Images
PHOTO: Yolanda Renee King, 12, the granddaughter of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., thrusts her fist as she speaks to the "Get Your Knee Off Our Necks" Commitment March on Washington, Aug. 28, 2020, in Washington, D.C.
>

As King tries to find her voice as a civil rights activist, she told ABC News that while she feels empowered to follow her grandfather's footsteps, she also wants to create her own path.

\"I want to be an international human rights lawyer. ... I can really help people and not just on a national level, but on a global level as well,\" King said.

\"What I hope to do is to make this world much better than it was when I first came.\"

","canonicalUrl":"https://abcnews.com/US/yolanda-renee-king-reflects-grandfather-martin-luther-kings/story?id=80977077","legacySlug":"/news/story/yolanda-renee-king-reflects-grandfather-martin-luther-kings-80977077","noIndexNoFollow":false},"publishTime":"13:15","publishDate":"11-07-2021","updatedTime":"17:39","updatedDate":"11-07-2021","socialImage":{"alt":"Yolanda Renee King, the granddaughter of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., speaks during a 'March On for Washington and Voting Rights\" on the National Mall, Aug. 28, 2021, in Washington, D.C.","credit":"Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images","ratio":"16x9","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/US/yolanda-1-gty-er-211106_1636221666542_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg","width":992,"height":558},"datePublished":"11/7/2021 13:15:00 GMT","video":{"live":false,"id":80977077,"headline":"MLK's granddaughter protests for voting rights","mediaAssetTitle":"YOLANDA KING","description":"\"We're battling the same issues they did,\" King said.","duration":"1:37","posterImg":{"url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","width":608,"height":342},"video":{"feed":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2021/11/211105_vod_yolanda_1_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"},"playlist":["132306053","132266872","132055565"]},"relatedItems":[{"contentType":"video","date":"April 23, 2026","headline":"Trump orders Navy to 'shoot and kill' any boat laying mines in Strait of Hormuz","section":"News","slug":"/video/132306053","id":"132306053","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Trump orders Navy to 'shoot and kill' any boat laying mines in Strait of Hormuz","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Trump orders Navy to 'shoot and kill' any boat laying mines in Strait of Hormuz","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"April 22, 2026","headline":"Fallout after Fed nominee grilled on Capitol Hill","section":"News","slug":"/video/132266872","id":"132266872","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Fallout after Fed nominee grilled on Capitol Hill","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Fallout after Fed nominee grilled on Capitol Hill","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"April 15, 2026","headline":"American influencer found dead in Tanzania","section":"News","slug":"/video/132055565","id":"132055565","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: American influencer found dead in Tanzania","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: American influencer found dead in Tanzania","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}}],"relatedContentSection":"news","schemaContent":{"name":"MLK's granddaughter protests for voting rights","description":"\"We're battling the same issues they did,\" King said.","duration":"1:37","uploadDate":"11-07-2021","publication":"11-07-2021","images":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","url":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2021/11/211105_vod_yolanda_1_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","contentUrl":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2021/11/211105_vod_yolanda_1_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","link":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/story/yolanda-renee-king-reflects-grandfather-martin-luther-kings-80977077"}},"playlist":[{"id":"132281378","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132283010","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132273278","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132231169","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132206748","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132200241","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132054443","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132054798","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132033010","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131912713","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131830583","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131834976","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131554765","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131554815","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131543053","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131432442","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131121474","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131247079","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131228784","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131178806","contentType":"story","section":"news"}],"kvps":{"pgtyp":"article","lang":"en","sp":"goodmorningamerica","programmatic":"true","bundleId":"com.abcnews"}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewwdgnewgmaweb","ns":"gma","pageName":"gma:news:video","pageType":"video","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"gma:site","tagID":"g_page01","userABCookie":"0","section":"news","title":"MLK's granddaughter protests for voting rights","pubTime":"08:15","pubDate":"11-07-2021","modTime":"12:39","modDate":"11-07-2021","taxonomyTags":"none","id":80977077,"editorialOtherSubjects":"","wordCount":"none","columns":"none","authors":"","authorsUnit":"none","authorsBureau":"none","subBrand":"Good Morning America","provider":"Good Morning America","videoName":"MLK's granddaughter protests for voting rights","mediaAssetTitle":"YOLANDA KING","videoId":80977077,"mediaOnPage":"video","legacySlug":"/news/story/yolanda-renee-king-reflects-grandfather-martin-luther-kings-80977077"},"taboola":{}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/video/80977077","vary":{"host":"www.goodmorningamerica.com","cached":true,"path":"/video/80977077","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","userab":"0"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};