A world-renowned poet and author took time Friday morning to meet with what she calls the "space" generation.
Nikki Giovanni is a Knoxville native, a graduate of the Knox County School System, and went on to publish more than 30 books in poetry as well as becoming a civil rights activist.
She returned to her roots at KCS Friday to talk to students at Green Magnet Academy. She said this generation has it's own share of issues and they'll travel beyond our atmosphere to answer them.
"These kids are gonna go into space, think that's what they have to think about. That's what they have to look at their earthlings, and earthlings have an obligation and we're right here we're right here from Oak Ridge where Oak Ridge created a lot of what we see in space Oak Ridge created so I'm very proud of them," Giovanni said.
Giovanni said space is where those students' stories will take them and she hopes they embrace it.