Martin Luther King Jr. showed the world that courage and compassion can shatter barriers and bring people together—a lesson that still echoes today.

As parents and educators, teaching our kids to choose kindness, speak up, and do what’s right isn’t optional—it’s how we build a better world, one brave choice at a time.

Now, a trailblazing storyteller from the Twin Cities is lighting the way—empowering families and classrooms across the country to bring these values and MLK’s vision to life, inspiring children to stand tall, speak out, and foster unity as they ignite change right where they are.

Emmy Award-Winning Journalist for WCCO | CBS News Minnesota & Children’s Author, Shayla Reaves, joins our John Masiulionis and Little Forrest on Episode #245 of PR From The Heart’s Children’s Books Spotlight Series to share her inspiring journey to becoming of a trusted voice in TV news, the release of her new children’s book, Echo In The Distance, using her voice for the greater good of the Twin Cities community at Building A Culture of Reading In Your Classroom 2025 at Mall of America, the importance of having honest conversations with our kids about race and empathy, Martin Luther King Jr.’s enduring influence, the power of having the courage to share one’s creative side and pursue dreams at any age, effective ways families and educators can empower children to create positive change in their neighborhoods, plus much more.

We encourage you, our fellow neighbors, to support Shayla by grabbing your copies of Echo In The Distance and enjoying this empowering read with your little ones: https://bit.ly/4nZxFJl.