The iconic quote that inspired me today comes from the famous speech Martin Luther King delivered to 250,000 people in Washington, D.C in August 1963: The phrase wasn’t even in his script — it was a spontaneous and improvised finale that King repeated like the refrain of a song: “I have a dream…”

King’s dream centered on his children:
“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

In this part of his speech, King painted a vivid picture of a future society where Black and White people could join hands and shape their collective future. His utopia wasn’t an abstract vision; it was deeply personal. It envisioned a better, peaceful future for his children and all the children of America. He placed this dream within the context of a society where segregation and racism defined the status quo. Equality — social, economic, political, and legal — was still a distant aspiration.

Martin Luther King Jr. was praised for his rhetorical brilliance, described as both empathetic and enthusiastic. By centering his vision on children, he made political goals tangible and deeply personal, radiating a sense of justice and love. His love respected others and was expressed with patience and care.

Care for the Future is Care for Children
To this day, Martin Luther King Jr.’s impact is deeply felt. His vision for equality and justice drove the civil rights movement forward, but it did much more than that. By equating societal and political responsibility with the care that loving parents provide for their children, King made the future a shared endeavor.

Through this perspective, King addressed White people not as adversaries but as brothers and sisters, bound by a shared destiny with Black Americans:
“Our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny.”

Hope as a Call to Action
For King, the future wasn’t just a personal narrative for individual families; it was the task of a global human family. Hope for a better future became a clear call to action. Social and political engagement, in King’s view, was engagement for our children and all children.

King’s words continue to inspire hope, even in difficult times. The power of hope, perhaps, is strongest when it feels hardest to sustain.

Watching Children Discover the World
My father passed away 20 years ago from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a neurodegenerative disease. For three years, his sharp mind was trapped in a dying body. The father of my own three children died at age 51 from cancer, also enduring three years in a body deemed medically unsustainable.

Neither of them had hope for survival. Yet, I saw hope in their eyes whenever they watched their children discovering the world. Hope transcends crises and even death — it lives on in the lives of our children.

This experience taught me that hope goes far beyond individual tragedies. It reveals itself in the eyes of our children and in a vision for their future — the kind of vision Martin Luther King Jr. powerfully described in his “I have a dream”-speech.

From What Is to What Should Be
King never abandoned this conviction, even though he knew he was in grave danger. Five years after receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, he was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee, at just 39 years old.

Reflecting on King’s legacy, one of his friends said after his death:
“This nation has to be challenged and transformed from what it is to what it ought to be.”

King’s nonviolent fight for justice offers inspiration also for today’s pursuit of a climate-neutral and socially just future. His message of hope was neither idealistic nor abstract; it was deeply rooted in human experiences and needs. Holding onto visions, sharing them, and including even opponents in them is a crucial lesson for today’s transformation toward sustainable living.

How to Communicate?
What does this mean concretely? In m view, King’s hopeful approach offers three helpful lessons:

Firstly, we need to address the status quo. King left no doubt as he spoke: “The Negro is still not free.” Today, it’s vital to raise awareness of the scale and the existential threat posed by the climate crisis. By making the situation relatable, we can bridge the emotional distance many feel toward this overwhelming issue.

Secondly, it is vital to be honest about both the cost of inaction and the effort needed for change: King didn’t merely reference a utopian future; he tackled the concrete conditions required to achieve it, such as ending police brutality against Black Americans. Today, while we should avoid paralyzing apocalyptic rhetoric, we need to be honest about the harm which inadequate action against the climate crisis will have for humans across the world. We also must be honest about the effort the transition to sustainable societies will imply.

The Co-benefits of Climate Action
At the same time, we must do more than warn. King’s dream painted an inviting picture of the future. For today, this means emphasizing the clear benefits which climate action and sustainable living promise — improved health, stronger communities, innovative economies, and fairer societies. This is not about blind optimism but showing the “side effects” of sustainability that enrich our lives.

Martin Luther King Jr.’s example can guide us in telling today’s story of the future — with urgency yet inviting, and emotionally resonant, blending self-efficacy with compelling storytelling, and even humor.

A “Check” for the Future
In his speech, King offered his audience a metaphorical “check” for the future, promising the riches of freedom and justice: “…a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.”

For my – and all – children, I am hoping for a check for sustainability that promises greater security, health, and justice, and ultimately, a better quality of life. Climate protection is care for future generations, for our children – and also for Martin Luther King Jr.’s children and grandchildren.