Bernice King reflects on continuing family's legacy, parents' lessons, and push for economic justice
Dr. Bernice King was born into an extraordinary legacy. But for her, carrying it forward is about more than preserving the past.
"Human dignity should be at the center of everything we do. In any industry, any field, period. And even more so today with the rise of AI," she said.
It's a belief rooted in the principles her father championed.
"They want justice and equity and dignity. And so, you can't get to those things through violent means, you know. So we don't have a choice," she said. "You know that's what Dad said, you know, the choice is no longer violence or nonviolence; it's nonviolence or non-existence."
That legacy also extends to economic empowerment. As co-founder of Redemption Bank, King is carrying forward a mission that runs deep in her family.
"It's super exciting, especially knowing that … right shortly before my father was assassinated, you know, he was heavily focused on economic justice, economic empowerment for the Black community," she said.
Some of the lessons from her parents are much more personal.
"Never make a decision in your anger," she said. "You know how many days when we are pissed off, angry, just boiling inside, and we just want to go and do something, say something, and we need just a moment to just feel it in that space, get it out amongst a safe group of people if necessary, before we speak or make a decision or do something," she said.
King said her mother also taught her to never hold grudges.
"One day we're going to realize just how much these negative emotions have an effect on our mental health," she said.
She said that her mother, Coretta Scott King, remains underappreciated today.
"You know everybody loves my daddy. I do too. But he wouldn't be who he is in society today - the kind of fame and recognition, proper reverence, cause I think we should never revere anybody above God - because of Coretta Scott King," she said.
While King said that she doesn't plan to go anytime soon, she said she doesn't think about what she's leaving behind.
"Look, I was born into a legacy. It's a little bit different. Everybody's running after the bag. They're running after whatever. 'I gotta do my legacy, my thing. I gotta be on the map. I gotta get whatever God put in me out.' I get all of that. And I'm getting everything that I believe that God put - I don't know how, but I'm gonna get out everything God put into me," she said.
When asked if she ever sits and wonders if her parents are proud of her, King shared a story that showed why she didn't have to.
"My brother Dexter's wife, Leah, shared with me within that last 24 hours of his life, he said, 'Make sure you tell her that her parents are proud of her.' And I hold onto that because he was leaving here, and before he left, he wanted to say from his parents, our parents, to me, 'Mom and Daddy are proud of you!'"