I’m feeling very grateful in how my days have been unfolding and touching me deeply. I have a few highlights on the home front to share.
My fourth grader Mia earned the privilege to bring her violin home. Happy I am that her school was the recipient of federal funds that benefit students measurably. Mia is learning to play the steel drum and the violin thanks to these dollars. Not only that, she is giddy with discovering she has a seventh grade reading ability. Like a horse being let out of a gate … her giggly self is absolutely contagious.
My twelve year old Bailey is learning more about racism as of late. Grateful I am that she is experiencing insight to deeper questions she has about life. It’s not easy but it is valuable. She shared a problem with me and asked me to be involved on behalf of her friends last week. She’s a student at an urban middle school. Her friends are a mix of cultures, half of them are black. I went to the same school and delighted with the real world experience she is gaining now. It’s a hard school, like life. The curriculum is above many other schools and the administrators are on point more so than most public schools. Seeing a police car outside of the school is common, violence happens. Violence is dealt with. My car and a police car are part of a picture taken in front of the school. A picture that has been slated to be featured on the front cover of the year book for 2010. My daughter Bailey feels proud.
My daughter and her friends walk together as a group after school, they visit Walgreen’s on their way home sometimes. Last week she and her friends had a new experience at Walgreen’s that they didn’t know how to respond too. Such is life, eh? Bailey told me that a Walgreen’s worker, “A fat and ugly lady has been following them around the store.” She told me about a few of the demeaning things this lady said and let me know that lady had just recently accused these kids of stealing. She told me they always drop their backpacks and coats at the front door like the sign says. Bailey is bothered that their experience at Walgreen’s has become so problematic. She asked me to come and see what happens there and talk to the lady.
Sadly, these kids have been profiled.
So I showed up. Within five minutes I witnessed the Manager of the store, holding an empty box of Lice Medicine, accusing the group of stealing the contents. I stepped in and introduced myself and my daughter who felt courageous enough to say firmly, “We don’t steal stuff.” Her best friend beefed in, “Search us.” And I said, “He doesn’t have the authority.” I asked the kids if they really want to give their dollars to a store that treats them this way. I asked the Manager if he wanted to lose customers and he just walked away. I’m going next week to hear the words of the fat ugly lady. I may be encouraged to video this and send it to Walgreen’s headquarters.
Where I am, I’m happy … smack dab in the middle of life happening. Law school beckons me, music my daughter finds soul filled does too: the urban life gives “light.” On the front line for life and what is right, noble and true … I belong there.
Posted by Dawn 
Posted by Dawn
Posted by Dawn 





