Parents in Grosse Pointe were looking for a way to get involved in the Black Lives Matter protests and educate their kids about current events, so they took to the streets for a rather unique kids’ march and protest.
The protest, which happened on Wednesday, June 3, was organized by Monica Brady-Barnard, a mom of four from Grosse Pointe who wanted to support the Black Lives Matter movement but couldn’t be on the front lines because of the responsibilities she has at home.
She was feeling bad about not physically being able to be there, so she decided to get kids involved and create a space for them to come together and learn about what the protesters are fighting for.
“I want to show my kids that they have a voice and I’m raising them to be better people,” she told the Detroit Free Press. “I want to raise them in a world that is better than what I had, and showing them that anyone can stand up for something they believe in.”
According to a post in the Facebook event, kids that attended started out by making signs, crafts and chalk drawing in her backyard. At 2:45 p.m. that day, they listened to stories and had a guided discussion with Walter Lacy.
Then, at 3 p.m. the kids and their parents marched along a piece of the Moross Greenway, socially distanced and holding up the signs that they had made.
Grosse Pointe mom, Melissa Tucker, attended the event and told the Free Press that she thought it was a great idea to bring kids of all different races together for fun activities that teach them about what’s happening in the world.
“(It’s) also teaching them how to treat their friends, treat neighbors and treat people that are their age,” she says.
Similar Events
Did you miss out on the Kids March for Black Lives Matter in Grosse Pointe? Check out these similar events in our area — and don’t forget to check out the Talking to Kids about Race page at MetroParent.com for even more resources.
Kids Rally and March to End Racism in Metro Detroit
- Date: June 13, 2020
- Time: 10:30 a.m.-noon
- Location: Nine Mile and Bermuda, Downtown Ferndale
Bring your signs and talk a walk through the business district to teach your kids the importance of standing together and be in support of Black Lives Matter.
Black Lives Matter Kid-Friendly Protest
- Date: June 13, 2020
- Time: 4-7 p.m.
- Location: 66117 Van Dyke Ave., Romeo
Makayla, a resident of the Romeo area, supports Black Lives Matter and wants to make a difference in her community, so she’s putting on a rally to support the movement and to help other kids understand its message.
Justice for Black Lives Kids March
- Date: June 20, 2020
- Time: 10 a.m.
- Location: Grand Rapids Children’s Museum, 11 Sheldon Ave., NE, Grand Rapids
Kids 12 and under are welcomed to participate in this children’s march from the museum to Rosa Parks Circle. Find sacks, face painting and music for the kids at the end of the march.