Dr. Bernice King, Alexis Feaster, Jetalli Bellanton

As the countdown to Martin Luther King Jr. Day officially began, Dr. Bernice King set the tone for the week with intention, humanity, and storytelling—hosting a powerful screening of Hoops, Hopes & Dreams, a film she serves on as Executive Producer, presented by Andscape.

Following the screening, Dr. King joined a thoughtful and dynamic panel conversation moderated by Tinisha L. Agramonte, Senior Vice President and Global Chief Opportunity & Inclusion Officer at The Walt Disney Company. The discussion also featured Producer Alexys Feaster and Executive Producer Dr. Jatali Bellanton, offering audiences insight into both the creative vision and cultural responsibility behind the film.

Hoops, Hopes & Dreams opens with a moment that immediately reframes history. Former UN Ambassador Andrew Young reminisces about his younger days on the basketball court, recalling a point guard with a strong left-handed jump shot. “Later,” he says, “I realized it was Martin Luther King Jr.” Young’s reflections portray Dr. King not only as a leader, but as a teammate—a people person, always willing to defend others and connect through shared experience.

The film continues to humanize Dr. King through stories that extend beyond the pulpit. Journalist Jemele Hill appears in the film, noting that former President Barack Obama also knew his way around the basketball court—reinforcing the idea that basketball has long been a universal language of leadership, access, and community.

One of the film’s most resonant themes is that basketball is truly a worldwide sport, and the court itself becomes a place of teamwork, strategy, and trust. More importantly, it underscores a core truth about Dr. King’s approach to leadership: he met people where they were. If that meant being on the basketball court to reach a certain crowd, that’s where you’d find him. If it meant a pool hall, shooting pool and building conversation—that’s where he would go. His love for basketball simply made that connection even more authentic.

By presenting these lesser-known dimensions of Dr. King’s life, the film moves him beyond the stillness of statues and soundbites. It shows him as a full, complex Black man—diverse in interests, relational in nature, and deeply invested in human connection. This is the kind of storytelling that belongs in our school systems, ensuring history remains alive, relatable, and honest for future generations.

During the evening, Dr. Bernice King issued a clear call to action: a challenge for individuals to donate $100 to The King Center, helping preserve the legacy and ensure that real Black history is never erased or lost.

Looking ahead, MLK Week continues with impactful programming, including Nothing to See Here: Watts Beloved Community Talks, featuring a talkback with T.I. Harris, and culminating on Sunday, January 18, with the MLK, Jr. Beloved Community Awards—a celebration rooted in truth, legacy, and collective responsibility.

In every way, Hoops, Hopes & Dreams reminds us that change begins where connection lives—and that meeting people where they are has always been the heart of the movement.

SOURCE Upscale Magazine