Last week, our school community gathered to reflect on the enduring legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the powerful lessons his life and work continue to teach us. As part of this year’s commemoration, we welcomed Molly Kawahata—climate leader, former White House advisor, and "hope whisperer"—to campus for a two-day visit. Her message was clear: Hope is not just an emotion, but a mindset. It’s a skill that can be cultivated and a vital tool for creating meaningful change in the face of challenges.
Prior to Molly’s arrival, sixth-grade students explored Dr. King’s legacy during advisory, and were encouraged to draw parallels between his work, Molly’s message, and the Middle School’s theme of hope. At each division’s assembly, Molly emphasized the connection between hope and action. “Change will not come unless we do something,” she said, echoing Dr. King’s call to courage and determination. Reflecting on Dr. King’s fight against racial and economic injustice during the Civil Rights Movement, Molly encouraged students to see themselves as “change makers,” capable of building hope and fostering resilience in their communities.
Molly’s own story provided a powerful illustration of this message. She shared how her grandparents, Japanese Americans living in California during World War II, were forced into an internment camp in Utah. Despite the immense hardship they faced, they built a community and found hope in one another. “If they could find hope in difficulty,” she said, “maybe so can I.”
Through her framework, the GAP method—Goals, Agency, and Pathways—Molly showed students how hope can be actively cultivated. She explained that having clear, achievable goals, the willpower to pursue them, and strategies to overcome obstacles can transform even the most daunting challenges into opportunities for growth. “Hope is a mindset that can be learned,” she affirmed, “and it begins by embracing the process and empowering others.”
As we honor Dr. King’s legacy, Molly’s visit served as a reminder that the fight for justice and equity is ongoing, and that hope remains a powerful force in driving change. Her words—“Hope is not just possible; it’s waiting for us”—leave us with a call to action: to keep moving forward, to ask how we can help, and to foster a sense of agency and support within our communities.