Never The Less, She Persisted!

Dee Dixon just celebrated 25 years of  community, empowerment, lifestyle upgrading, and love for the African American community  at Pride Magazine. I received the media invite via Neph  Estrada Best and know I had to be there. I have wanted to sit with  Dee Dixon, Lawanda Beacoats, and share a ‘Hey Girl’ from Mrs Best for a while and to have them all in the same room was overwhelming exciting!

The Pride team did it up! It was lovely! I have been to many award events from here to New England, this one was A+. A feeling of welcome met us upon our entry. I could have sworn there were tiny angels with arrows shooting people in the face. EVERYone was smiling!!!!

The panelist included Alma Adams, and you guys already know how much I admire her! I know she shared incredible nuggets of wisdom with the generational selected panel and crowd. I remember her sharing a few yester-year stories with us (Momsrising) in her office last year.  She pretty much said the road isn’t meant to be easy. And to be a problem solver, you must understand the problem as well as the ability, willingness to solve it.  I didn’t have to be there to hear everything that was shared on panel. But i’m sure it was profound. Because 4 of the women involved in the gala, I know first name persists on a daily basis.  I’m talking about Representative Alma Adams, Dee Dixon newlywed, Neph E. Best, and the illuminating Lashawnda Beacoat.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Unfortunately,  I didn’t get to talk with Ms. Dee Dixon during the gala, yet I was able to take amazing pictures with both her and representative Alma Adams. I also had the honor of having my son as my date. What more could this blogging mama ask for?  Nothing.

So I’m running with it! I’m re motivated. I was motivated before. Lost a bit of it. But I’m filled up again. YES – RE MOTIVATED! I’ll use that as fuel for NCSheroes. It’s on March 18th 2018.

NCSheros is an award ceremony Momsrising has created to honor North Carolina women during Women’s History Month. We want to share these amazing women with other so that they too can be inspired to be better neighbors, mothers, entrepreneurs, healers, growers, politicians, HEROS!

Friends, we are still looking for your NCShero. Give her the flowers while she can still smell them. Nominate her today. More information is in the link below.

(CLICK HERE)

Event title: NC SHEROES: Nevertheless She Persisted!
Date: March 18, 2018
Time: 2:00pm – 4:00pm
Location: Beatties Ford Library
2412 Beatties Ford Road
Charlotte, NC

The Power Of Children – Dr. MLK Jr. Birthday Celebration

Royalty free from  thefamouspeople.com

Momsrising knows how to party. We also know recognize the power of Children. On the weekend of Martin Luther King Jr. birthday we celebrated his legacy with some of Charlotte’s most amazing people, the youth. Did you know that Martin Luther King, Jr. was born January, 15, 1929 as “Michael King Jr?”

However, his father changed their first names to Martin and added “Luther” to his name as well as his son’s name. And both his father, Martin Luther King, Sr., and his mother, Alberta Williams King, were reverends.
Though he had a generally good childhood, from a young age, King saw firsthand the tough realities of the Jim Crow laws: the King family was ushered out of shoe stores because of their race, and he lost a young friendship due to racial differences.
He was a great student. He was admitted to Morehouse College at the age of 15. King graduated from Morehouse College in 1948 with a B.A. in sociology.
After graduating from Morehouse, King enrolled in Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, Penn., and then also enrolled in the University of Pennsylvania. He was very successful at both schools and received many recognitions and awards. After graduating from Crozer, he began doctoral studies in Systematic Theology at Boston University in 1951, and then completed his doctorate in 1955.     

Can you imagine raising a child like him? I often wonder what his parents did to support such a powerful child despite the social distractions.

This Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, our community came together to celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the power of children. Our goal was to share a fun, kid focused, educational and most of all intentional day with our greatest and most powerful asset, our children.

To set the kid friendly tone, we played Dr. Kings speech,” If I Had Sneezed.”  Following was a storytelling by 12 year old Sybirah. Yes, I said a 12 year old storyteller.

Storyteller Sybirah- Anasi And The Snake

Her powerful story was about the notorious Anasi. She was poised, articulate and engaging! The children listened to her every word! After that, children’s book author, S.Cherie read ‘Freedom On The Menu’ and ‘If Kids Ruled The World’. Those books proved to be a great lead into the on going craft workshop with Flo, of We Chic’d It.

It almost looked like an elf workshop, as paint, rocks, slabs of wood, and stencils filled tiny hands. Parents assisted in creating inspiring and beautiful pieces of art worthy to be posted on the families wall. Peek at some below.

 

 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Later we enjoyed music performances by Brandy. and Niles, a 5 year old trombone player. You can watch both original videos online. Click here! And here!.

 

 

 

Like any good party, it is not complete without the birthday song and cake! One word, YUMMY! Oh, and Stevie Wonder would have been so proud to hear the children singing his song, that he wrote for his friend Martin. It was so harmonious! (listen to Stevie here.)

Before I end, let me give a big thanks to Momsrising’s generous co-sponsors and community supporters: Flo of We Chic’d It, The Black Ferris Bueller, Queen City Stay At Home Moms, Memorable Moments By Lee, and Imagine Publishing! Together we followed the blueprint of creating powerful children.

MLK Birthday Celebration in The QC!

Hey Charlotte, are you looking for a meaningful way to celebrate MLK with your child?  Then plan to join us for a FREE kid-friendly birthday party to celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.!  

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.- MLK

MLK Day and the days surrounding it provide the perfect opportunity to talk with our kids about justice, service, and the ability of people working together to change things for the better. But it can be hard to find an event that speaks to kids at their level.

That’s why we’ve created a special birthday party on MLK weekend (Sunday, January 14th) geared to kids and families in Charlotte. Can you join us? RSVP here! 

At this year’s party, we’ll also be celebrating the power of children. While their contributions are often left out of the history books, children and young people played a critical role in the struggle for equality.

Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.

-Martin Luther King Jr.

From the thousands of children who marched and were jailed in the Birmingham Children’s March to Ruby Bridges and the many other children who bravely integrated schools to Claudette Colvin who at 15 refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus nine months before Rosa Parks and so many more, our nation’s history is filled with brave kids who stood up for what was right.

At this year’s MLK family birthday party, we’ll celebrate their contributions in kid-friendly ways while encouraging all of our community’s children to think about how they too can help make our world a kinder, more just place.

There can be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love.

-Martin Luther King Jr.

At this FREE celebration, we’ll have story time, crafts, activities, and top it all with birthday cake as we sing “Happy Birthday” to Dr. King.

Celebrate Dr. King’s legacy in a way that your children will understand. Mark your calendars and plan to join us! RSVP here.

Here are all the details:

What: Join us for a free story time, crafts, activities, and birthday cake as we celebrate Dr. King’s life and legacy in a way that kids can understand.

When: The party will take place on MLK weekend, Sunday, January 14th from 1-4 pm.

Where: Beatties Ford Rd. Regional Library, 2412 Beatties Ford Road, Charlotte, NC 28216

It’s going to be a lot of fun! Will we see you there? RSVP here so we’ll know to look for you.

Celebrating MLK and those who stood alongside him is great way to teach our kids that they too can make a difference. We hope you’ll join us and help spread the word about this free event!

-Beth, Kelle, Ruth, and the whole NC MomsRising.org team

---

Like what we’re doing? Donate: We’re a bootstrap, low overhead, mom run organization. Your donations make the work of MomsRising.org possible–and we deeply appreciate your support. Every little bit counts. Donate today on our secure website.

On Facebook? Become a Fan. Follow us on Twitter.

Want info from MomsRising.org in Spanish? Sign up to receive emails from our Spanish-language community, MamásConPoder.org!

What should MomsRising tackle next? Tell us what’s on your mind.

Thanks to this co-sponsors, special guests :

Queen City Stay At Home Moms, We Chic’ it, Black Ferris Bueller, Brandi Alexandria, Dr, Jerry Bowman, and Author S, Cheree.

*****Last year was good. This year will be even better—–>

This slideshow requires JavaScript.