HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Many families find it difficult to talk to their kids about the nationwide protests. However, a group of Huntsville mothers is tackling it by hosting the 'Read In: Family Protest for Social Justice'.
Dozens of families sat at Bring Spring Park East on Saturday to read books about civil rights and social justice. They decided to lead the change on racial injustice with literature one book at a time. Guest speakers would read aloud to the crowd their selected book.
Organizer Emily Elam and several mothers in Huntsville say their children have been asking questions about the protests and police brutality following George Floyd's death.
"I think it's a message that resonates in the community right now, and a lot of families are dealing with this and trying to figure out how to talk to their kids about what's going on," says Elam.
Huntsville Police Department Sergeant Timothy Richards says we may not see the change today. However, at least a seed was planted for future generations.
"The seed of love, the seed of change, the seed of tolerance has been planted and the issues that are plaguing us today - we are very confident that they will be the change we want to see," says Richards.
One mother, Alicia Mulloy, says she's seen the impact today's read-in has made on her six-year-old daughter Zoey. "She talks abut love for everyone, all colors. So it's really awesome hearing her say things like that," says Mulloy.
Alabama State Rep. Anthony Daniels (Dist. 53) say it's up to the current generation.
"Everything that I'm doing is for this young man here, and those young people that are out there. And so our job today should be to make their lives better so that they don't have to relive what we lived or our grandparents lived," says Daniels.
Organizers say it took just about three days to plan this protest. Another protest is in the works.