Yolanda King, daughter of famed civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., will be the featured speaker at West Virginia Universitys 21 st annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration in January.

The author, activist and actress will discussAchieving the Dream!at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 12, at Spruce Street United Methodist Church, in Morgantown. The event is free and open to the public.

WVU s annual event is sponsored by the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Programs Committee, which is organized and facilitated by the WVU Center for Black Culture and Research. The commemoration is an annual tribute to Dr. Kings legacy of peaceful activism and community service. The commemoration this year is made possible by a generous grant from the Dominion Foundation , plus donations from various University departments and the City of Morgantown.

We are pleased and excited to have a living part of the King legacy with us,said CBC &R Assistant Director Todd McFadden said.Ms. Kings highly regarded writing on diversity and multiculturalism is clearly a continuation of her fathers work. I hope everyone in our community will join us for this important event.

Yolanda King is the founder and chief executive officer of Higher Ground Productions. Her mission is to encourage personal growth and positive social change through her artistic endeavors, including acting, producing, speaking and teaching. She is the first-born daughter of Dr. King and Coretta Scott King.

She has performed and lectured across the U.S., Europe, Africa and Asia for educational, business, religious and civic organizations. She has co-authored a book entitled Open My Eyes, Open My Soul , which demonstrates her commitment to raise awareness and enhance understanding about the importance of diversity.

In an effort to help groups and individuals find more personal freedom, King has joined forces with a life coach and created her new book entitled Embracing Your Power in 30 Days: a Journey of Self-Discovery and Personal Freedom .

We are proud to partner with Dominion, various WVU offices and departments and the City of Morgantown to bring a speaker of such esteem to our community,McFadden said.

The Dominion Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Dominion, one the nations largest producers of energy. Headquartered in Richmond, Va., the company also serves retail energy customers in nine states. The Dominion Foundation donates more than $10 million annually to nonprofit organizations in states where the company does business.

WVU s Center for Black Culture and Research was established in 1987 to:

• provide critical support to WVU students, particularly African-American students and students of color, with issues concerning recruitment and retention;

• provide the university community with cultural and social events that are unique to the African world experience;

• provide a forum for the study, research and examination of African people and societies;

• provide an educational, social and cultural support system for African and African-American students, faculty, staff and community members;

• support the development of West Virginia through education, extension and public service activities; and

• to serve as an intellectual source for the study and research of African and African-American culture and life.