It started with her 2nd grade "Important Person" project. Brynn was assigned Rosa Parks. She worked on it for weeks. She was so in it. She wanted to know everything about the civil rights movement and she fell in love with Rosa. She wrote her report and memorized her speech. I was so proud of her hard work and impressed with how much she wanted to learn... but also disheartened because I know that she knows. She gets it now. And the answers brought more questions...
VIDEO of her practicing.
{She got a perfect score!}
Then came "Glory" by John Legend and Common. All she knew initially was that it mentioned Rosa Parks and that was good enough for her. Then she watched the Oscars performance 20 times. She saw the clips from Selma and heard the lyrics. She turned it on and wanted me to watch her dance. She wanted to tell the story, the way she felt it. Together with her sister, they decided to use "Glory" to audition for their school talent show.
It opened up a LOT of conversation, as you can imagine.
Now, we needed to shorten the song and we aren't trying to start drama at the elementary school, so we did take out the more controversial segment. These two girls worked SO hard to come up with a way to say "We want to change the world- together.".
We wouldn't know if they made it until the end of the week, but I wanted to reward them for hard work and the courage to try, so I took them to use the Build-a-Bear gift cards we'd been saving. They had their fun and as the sales girl handed out their printed "birth certificates", she said: I can honestly say we've never had a bear named Rosa Parks as Brynnie-girl beamed with pride.
They had also had ice cream and it was kicking in about the time we pranced into the Disney store to look around.
Nice Young Man: Can I help you all find a specific character?
Me: No thanks, we're just browsing.
Brynn: Not me, I'm looking for a specific character.
NYM: What can I help you find?
Brynn: {Eyebrows raised} Where are your princesses of color?! Tiana, Jasmine, Pocahontas, Mulan... where are they?
NYM fumbles for a moment before leading her to the ONE doll they have that comes in Tiana and Jasmine.
Miss B thanked him politely and we left. She told me she was sorry if that was rude but she looked around and only saw the white princesses. Brynnie, you were right. And not rude in the least. I wish I had known what was important to me at 8 AND stood up for it.
Thanks, momma... but how do I change it?
She has now written a letter and Monday I mailed it for her. I don't know if it will make a bit of difference. I don't know if the Disney store will try to carry more princesses of color. But I know I have a little girl I'm awfully proud of.
Make that two! They did make the talent show :)
We found out about a month ago that we would be traveling to Memphis for Brynn's next dance competition. As soon as Brynn found out, she started fantasizing about what our weekend visit would include.
HERE is a recap on our last visit.
She made a to-do list:
1. Find my parents.
2. Visit hospital where I was born.
3. Eat lunch on Beale St.
4. Get a souvenir.
5. Go to Civil Rights Museum.
We decided to make a girls' weekend out of it since the boys were at Bristol. I knew her emotions were going to be unpredictable and that she had high, high hopes.
We set out for Beale St on Saturday and met friends for lunch. I watched her stand on the deck and comb every face that walked by. Every face. She was sure she spotted them. Several times. Poor baby broke down when it was time to go and get ready for her competition. It was all I could do to hold it together for her! She lost it again in the dressing room. She had already decided they would meet and then want to come see her dance. Now, it was time to dance.... and they weren't there the way she imagined.
I had to carry her out. She pulled herself together and asked for her red lips. I saw her start to shift gears as soon as she saw the rest of her team. Her smile beamed out and she was ready to dance. This was right about that the time my phone flashed the low battery signal and I fell apart completely. Like, totally crying that my phone my die except not at all really.
She danced her little heart out and had a blast!
She woke up the next morning with clear intentions, but more at peace. She waltzed into the hospital where she was born and up to the NICU. She got to see the very room she had been in at birth! Way further than we made it last time and she was quite pleased.
She was lighter, playful, even when we got back to Beale St. We had lunch and window shopped, but she wanted her to souvenir to come from the Civil Rights Museum... I tell ya. This kid.
If you haven't been to the Lorraine Motel- GO.
Holy crap.
It's so incredible to not only stand where Martin Luther King Jr stood, but where he was killed. Hearing his voice from only 24 hours before his death... to hear it NOW. 48 years later... powerful.
"Like anybody, I would like to live a long life . Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land!"
-From his "Mountain Top" speech the night before his assassination.
And if you have a few hours an entire day to spend at the museum- DO IT.
I had no idea it was that big and that we would want to see every single inch of it. Amazing.
Again, my girls were in it. Taking notes, asking questions. It was intense, overwhelming, precious in a way... being there with them when they are already knee-deep in these waters, trying to navigate. I can't even explain it really.
Favorite part?
Rosa took her seat on the bus. Swoon.
Hashtag: no filter.
Hashtag: I AM THE DREAM.
At our school, the 5th graders do a Wax Museum at the end of the year. Similar to Brynn's assignment, the students research, write a report, and then dress up as their person and present. Layla requested to be Dolly Parton.... or Rosa Parks.
First of all, that's sort of adorable.
Second of all....
She was assigned Rosa Parks.
And that's sort of hysterical.
To be continued....
My two little Rosa(s).
So proud of these two. These sisters. They're gonna do it, friends. They're gonna change the world.
