Georgia Southern Alumna and Vice President of the Otis Redding Foundation, Karla Redding-Andrews, delivered the keynote speech at the Armstrong Campus during the University’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration event on Wednesday.

Redding-Andrews shared inspiring stories of the Otis Redding Foundation’s impact on youth in Middle Georgia, and reflected on the lasting legacies of icons like her father and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 

“For me, Dr. King’s journey has always drawn a powerful comparison to my own father, the legendary Otis Redding,” she said in her address.

Like Martin Luther King Jr., Redding-Andrews said her father valued education and service to uplift the youth. In honor of his legacy, the Otis Redding Foundation is committed “to [helping] young people believe that every dream is possible and to remind them that through faith, and through belief, in peace, justice and equality, they too should work to change this world.”

Today, the Otis Redding Foundation is bringing music and education to hundreds of children in Middle Georgia, with former pupils, like conductor Roderick Cox, achieving high-level scholarship and global recognition in their careers.

Redding-Andrews described how the messages shared by her father and Dr. King almost 60 years ago are still so relevant today. She commended the determination of steadfast women, like Coretta Scott King and Zelma Redding—and the families that stood beside them—for continuing these legacies that inspire communities to support the creativity and success of the young people.

“It remains a heavy question in my heart, if they were still with us today, how much more would they still be doing to better this world? Not for themselves, but for all the people living in this world. Their legacies remind us that they were not just idols, but they were just great human beings, moving in faith, determined to make a difference. That is why even here in 2026, we still remember who they are.”