Dr. King’s voice shaped a movement—but can it still resonate in today’s fight for justice?
The Dream Echoes On is an augmented reality experience that transforms a static portrait of MLK into a living, immersive moment. Designed for a Portland, Oregon civil rights law office, the project invites users to a virtual pulpit surrounded by five symbolic microphones—each unlocking a curated speech excerpt. This piece blends spatial design, narrative curation, and historical symbolism to reframe King’s words as an emotional, interactive experience within a modern advocacy space.
Rooted in History
At the center of the experience stands a detailed 3D recreation of the pulpit used by Dr. King during his “I Have a Dream” speech at the Lincoln Memorial. This historically accurate model provides visual and emotional grounding for the experience, serving as a direct link to one of the most iconic moments in American public life.
Unlike other elements in the scene, the pulpit is not symbolic or abstracted, but rather rendered with historical accuracy to honor the gravity of its place in civil rights history.
Symbols That Speak
Surrounding the pulpit are five distinct virtual microphones for users to tap, each tied to a specific speech. While the pulpit grounds the experience in historical fidelity, the microphones serve a more expressive role—designed not as literal replicas, but rather as narrative artifacts.
Each microphone incorporates subtle visual cues that hint at its associated speech, inviting discovery through form, typography, and context.
Stepping Into History
Each selected speech triggers a unique augmented environment—subtly transforming the user’s physical space to reflect the setting and emotional tone of the speech. These environmental elements are not theatrical—they are restrained, quiet, and intentional. They offer spatial cues and context to deepen emotional connection with Dr. King’s words.
Not a Monument—A Moment
The Dream Echoes On experience isn’t about looking back—it’s about listening forward.
For the attorneys and staff at the Oregon Justice Resource Center, The Dream Echoes On offers more than inspiration—it offers a moment of stillness within the urgency of their work. A voice that affirms, challenges, and reminds: the dream is not past. It’s echoing to this day.