Included in the “Active Audience Guide” that accompanies the play “A Kids Play About Racism,” is an article by Nikki Toombs. Here are some quotes from it:
“The reality is that this pandemic has separated families, promoted fear, evoked anger, revealed truths, challenged policy and shut down the world. The PANDEMIC I speak of is called racism and it did not begin to reveal its ugly truth in 2020. For over 400 years, we have witnessed the normalization of legalized oppression of people of color, while many have continued to turn a blind eye.”
“…my husband and I were watching, what was then, a peaceful demonstration on television. As he peered at the screen, (my seven-year-old son) asked me why the people were marching. I began to explain to him that a man named George Floyd died. He turned and then asked, ‘Was he sick?’ My reply was ‘…no, the police killed him and that’s why all of those people are marching.’
“And just when I thought the line of questioning was over, he asked ‘why are they yelling black lives matter!’ I said, ‘Because sadly, for some reason, there are those who believe that they don’t.'”
“Social Justice movements, such as Black Lives Matter, must exist to both advocate and remind. The Black Lives Matter movement has been fighting to be heard since 2013’s urgent need to bring attention to police brutality. The impetus for this movement was the death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in 2012. Despite their valiant efforts, more and more lives are lost to police brutality and the saga continues.”
