'Let the Children March' - Read and Rise February 2021

I felt like I couldn't celebrate Black History Month without remembering Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He was such a powerful voice in the Civil Right Movement and I greatly admire his resolve to remain peaceful no matter what was thrown at him. It can be SO hard to remain level-headed, calm, and non-violent when people are constantly attacking you, but he stuck to his values and beliefs. I know nothing positive will come from yelling at or fighting with someone and I try very hard - and sometimes don't succeed - to remain kind and calm when dealing with problems or addressing disagreements. 

What I think is really cool about the book I chose for this week is that instead of focusing on Dr. King, it focuses on the children who made a difference in the Civil Rights Movement. The CHILDREN. It's so easy to write children off as being too young to make a real difference in the world but they are so much more powerful than we give them credit for! It fills my heart every time I come across a child doing something amazing to make the world a better place. 

Featured story: "Let the Children March" by Monica-Clark Robinson

Activity: Our activity today is inspired by an amazing and inspiring young man, Michael Platt of Michaels Desserts. Michael is a teen from Maryland who in 2017 - at the age of 11 - started a baking business with a 1-for-1 model in 2017. For every dessert purchased, he donates one to someone in need. I love that it's such a novel idea that most adults would never think of! We think of donating vegetables and fruits and pasta and bread and meats to the food bank, we don't think of donating treats. But really, who hasn't felt a little happier celebrating or easing some stress with a sweet treat? Why not let everyone have the opportunity for that? 

So today, I'm giving you two activity ideas. The first is to create a Martin Luthor King inspired cupcake created by Michael Platt and continue the discussion of Dr. King, civil rights, and African Americans while sharing a sweet treat with your family! You could even deliver some extra cupcakes to friends or family that you can't get together with right now.

Sweet Potato Pie Cupcakes Article and Recipe 

Sweet Potato Pie Cupcakes Video

As an alternative, you could create a birthday kit to donate to a local food pantry. Chances are, if a family doesn't have enough money for food, their children are not having birthday parties or birthday cakes. Find out how to put together a birthday kit at Doing Good Together: Birthday Giving Project.

Some more links to inspire you:

Michaels Desserts Facebook Page

Operation Awesome - show premieres March 10 on BYUtv and follows a group of kids who hit the road to make the world a better place