I Have a Dream Too: Carrying Dr. King’s Legacy Forward Through Purpose and Action

Every January, we pause to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.We replay his words. We quote his speeches. We remember his courage.

But this year, I found myself asking a deeper question:

What does it mean to carry the dream forward—now?

Not just admire it.Not just repost it.But live it.

That question became the foundation for my spoken-word and music piece, “I Have a Dream Too.”

A Dream That Didn’t End in 1963

Dr. King’s dream was never meant to stop at a microphone in Washington, D.C.

It was meant to:

• Travel into homes

• Sit at kitchen tables

• Be passed from parents to children

• Be remembered by grandparents

• And lived out by everyday people

The dream was always about becoming—as individuals and as a people.

“I Have a Dream Too” is my response to that legacy.Not as a replacement.Not as a comparison.But as a continuation.

From Freedom Songs to a Modern Anthem

This piece is inspired by:

• Classic Negro spirituals

• 1960s freedom songs

• The cadence, courage, and conviction of the Civil Rights Movement

Musically, it blends:

• Spoken word

• Urban contemporary gospel

• Piano and organ

• Choir harmonies

• Marching drum rhythms

• Cinematic strings

• A modern foundation that speaks to today

Spiritually, it carries one message:

Purpose belongs to everyone.

The Dream Is Personal—and Collective

“I have a dream too” isn’t just a lyric. It’s a declaration.

It’s the dream of:

• Parents teaching their children that their future matters

• Young people realizing they don’t have to wait to live with intention

• Seniors remembering they don’t age out of purpose

• Families choosing faith over fear

• Communities choosing action over delay

It’s the belief that dreams don’t die because of lack of talent—They die because people stop believing their lives matter enough to plan.

Why Goal-Setting Is Part of the Dream

Dr. King didn’t just speak hope—he organized it.He didn’t just inspire—he mobilized.

Dreams require structure.Vision requires action.Purpose requires decision.

That’s why this piece speaks openly about:

• Writing the vision

• Turning dreams into plans

• Moving ideas from notes apps into calendars

• Treating goals not as pressure—but as permission

Permission to grow.Permission to try.Permission to become.

A Modern Call to Action

“I Have a Dream Too” is not a performance piece.It’s a call.

A call to:

• Stop shrinking your dreams

• Stop waiting for permission

• Stop treating purpose like a luxury

And start believing—again.

Because when people decide their goals matter,families change.communities change.history continues.

Honoring the Dream by Living It

Dr. King dreamed of a better world.

Today, we honor him by asking ourselves:

• What am I building?

• What dream am I responsible for?

• What future am I willing to take seriously?

I have a dream too.

And I believe the most powerful way to honor his legacyis to stop letting ours sit dormant.

“I Have a Dream Too”Written and performed by Sherea VéJauanReleased in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day

And I’m not dreaming alone.