Spotlighting Award-Winning Women and Girls with The King Center on MLK Jr Day

“It's a privilege and an inspiration to share this space with individuals who have dedicated their lives to serving others, and hopefully I’ll make even a fraction of the impact that the fellow awardees have.”

So stated Gitanjali Rao two nights ago to a rapt audience and her words still ring in my ear this morning.

Honoring global individuals and organizations that exemplify “excellence in leadership, pursuit of social justice, and commitment to creating the Beloved Community in the tradition of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mrs. Coretta Scott King,” the 2024 Beloved Community Awards were joyfully celebrated on Saturday, in anticipation of Martin Luther King Jr Day.

Gathering in Atlanta after a week-long King holiday experience, awardees included renowned advocate and philanthropist Deloris Jordan (winner of the Beloved Community Coretta Scott King Soul of the Nation Award), the iconic actor, author, and founder of his eponymously named research foundation Michael J. Fox (winner of the Beloved Community Yolanda D. King Higher Ground Award), and legendary organizations like Spelman College.

But in the spirit of the King Center’s unwavering focus on the future, the awards ceremony recognized the next generation as well. Eighteen-year-old innovator, author, STEM promoter and Être member Gitanjali Rao received the Beloved Community Technological Innovation Award, and 26-year-old student, storyteller and immigrant rights advocate Sara Mora was honored with the Beloved Community Youth Influencer Award.

Être could not have been more thrilled to see this, and we reached out to these young women to talk about what the 2024 awards meant to them. Here is a bit more about them, their work and what they want girls to know on MLK Jr Day and every day.

First, meet Gitanjali Rao :

“I see this award not only as a recognition of my past achievements; but as a call to action to do so much more. It fuels my commitment to continue pushing boundaries, fostering empathy, and leveraging the power of innovation for the betterment of our global community.”

Watching Gitanjali accept her award made me smile all weekend, particularly since I first met this star in 2017! From Être’s first interview when Gitanjali won 3M’s Young Scientist Challenge by developing a home test to detect lead in drinking water, to being listed on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 List in 2019 and then named TIME’s first-ever Kid of the Year in 2020, Gitanjali has spent much of her youth in the spotlight. Dedicated to encouraging other students to follow their STEM goals, Gitanjali is known for her numerous inventions, two books (her latest is available for preorder here) and the indelible impact of her community work in classrooms.

When I grabbed coffee with Gitanjali in Boston a few weeks before MIT’s Thanksgiving break, I was stunned again by her latest research projects, balanced against hefty academics, and the joy that infuses each discovery she makes.

What else does she want girls to know?

"I'm truly honored to be receiving the Beloved Community Technological Innovation award on behalf of the King Center. I'm committed to creating a movement of innovators driven by creativity and empathy and I thank each and every student I've worked with for shaping me into the person I am. I'm excited to keep going from here, reaching even bigger and more powerful strides and building the ideas of tomorrow!"

Next, speaking of tomorrow, meet Sara Mora :

While I don’t know Sara personally, after watching her remarks at the 2024 King Center Youth Summit I cannot wait to meet her. Born in Costa Rica and raised in New Jersey, she shares on her website how she first realized that her migration journey could impact and inspire others.

“When I publicly shared my story of being undocumented,” she notes, “I realized the need to access the digital world. The internet was a quiet giant waiting to roar with messages. I was just one story that decided to be shared. Being undocumented meant I was supposed to be scared. But I just knew that something could change.”

And change she brings with every campaign, collaboration and inspiring comment she makes on behalf of immigrant rights in the US.

During her panel at the 2024 King Center Youth Summit, she looked encouragingly at the audience and said:  “Whether your passion is human rights or a different kind of work, I think stories have the power to change each other’s perspectives on the way we see the world. My moment was when I was 17…”

Then she explained to a crowd of change-makers how she started and where she’s headed. With more of Sara’s past work visible here and her day to day mission available on Instagram here, tomorrow’s activists can become more informed and impactful today.

And that, in large part, is what The King Center is all about.

Committed to service, to community, and to change, The King Center and every luminary they honor bring us closer to the dreams Dr. King and Mrs. Coretta Scott King harbored - expanding with open arms their Beloved Community.

Looking forward,

Illana

ÊXTRAS: Three extra resources from The King Center you won’t want to miss: Visit the King Center Leadership Academy; dive into Students With King, the center’s flagship engagement platform for elementary, middle & high school students; and a full set of classroom resources to help the next gen learn about the Kings’ enduring legacy of social justice.