While Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s national holiday commemorating his life and legacy is officially behind us, HBO's upcoming We Are The Dream: The Kids of the Oakland MLK Oratorical documentary will follow the youth of Oakland as they prepare to compete in the city's annual Martin Luther King Oratorical Festival.
This particular competition features hundreds of children ranging in grades from pre-kindergarten through the twelveth grade that get to publicly perform a mixture of published and original poetry and speeches. The children are encouraged to reflect on the topics that matter to them the most, ranging from topics including cultural commentary/acceptance, political activism, social justice, environmentalism, and more.
HBO's We Are The Dream, directed by Amy Schatz and executive produced by Mahershala Ali, will follow the journey of a multitude of beautiful, blossoming souls as they prepare for the 2019 40th Annual Martin Luther King Oratorical Festival.
The trailer alone draws its viewers in as the courageous youths participate in what many adults refuse to engage in, public speech. These brave students, from all different walks of life, are continuing the legacy of the coveted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who used his oratorical skill set to bring the world together.
In a statement released by HBO, the network praised the filmmakers' journeys alongside an amazing group of emboldened and empowered children stating,
"It is a portrait of passionate young people raising their voices about issues they care about – social justice, immigration and more – and of a community that celebrates them."
While this past Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day was filled with surprises from White House counselors and the FBI, we're sure this executive-produced worked by Oscar-winning actor Mahershala Ali will do the Reverand and the youth of Oakland, CA justice.
Check out the full-length trailer for HBO's upcoming documentary, We Are The Dream: The Kids of the Oakland MLK Oratorical in the video provided below. And also be on the lookout for the film to premiere on HBO February 18 at 7:00 P.M. EST.