The Atlanta Vibe players and coaches visited the King Center in Atlanta Monday, reflecting and learning more about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s far-reaching impact on the civil rights movement and the city.
The team viewed King Center exhibits, visited Dr. King’s childhood home and toured the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church.
Middle Blocker Phoebe Awoleye, a Georgia native, was making her first visit to the King Center and complimented the insight from the National Park Service tour guide on King’s life and the tour experience as a whole during Black History Month.
“His perspective, he talked about the family and how they were very vital in what MLK did, it wasn’t just MLK,” Awoleye said. “That’s pretty interesting.”
Walking through King’s childhood neighborhood, Outside Hitter Taylor Smith said she absorbed a lot of new information.
“I didn’t even know this neighborhood existed, how cool is that? I had a great time and feel like I learned a lot,” Smith said. “Just how incredible this whole space is and the museum and everything. It was awesome.”
Opposite Hitter Aiko Jones, who is from Jamaica, said it was powerful to realize how recently many of the civil rights that King fought for were realized in the United States.
“Some of our parents were alive when this fight was going on,” Jones said. “Just being here and being taken back into that time while also realizing that time was very, very recent is moving and makes me emotional.”
Jones highlighted that she is grateful to be an example for Black girls in Atlanta and beyond who can aspire to chase their biggest dreams.
“That has always been something that I’ve held near and dear to my heart. For us, it’s about showing those Black girls what we dreamt of,” Jones said. “Knowing more about the history behind that thought that we have or that sentiment that we have, this is a very powerful place to be.”
For more information on the King Center, visit this link.