Dream

Today is the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington and the "I have a dream" speech. I have a lot of gratitude in my heart today for the brave people who risked so much in the hopes of freedom and equality for all.

Although my sweet baby does not live in a world free from racism, it is a very different world than it was 50 years ago. A dear friend of mine, Claustina Mahon-Reynolds, and I took our families to a reading of a play about Emmett Till a few months ago. The play touched me the most when someone asked Emmett's mother if she thought that perhaps other children live because her son was killed. I couldn't escape the thought that perhaps my child lives because her son does not. It was the thought of Emmett Till that made Rosa Parks, and so many others, stand their ground. Tyson and I didn't name our son specifically after Emmett Till, but if his name helps people remember Emmett Till, we are glad of it.

I always had sympathy for those suffering from racism, but it's different now. Having an African-American child makes the Civil Rights movement very very personal. I look into Emmett's face, and I wonder about the stories of his ancestors. My connection to my child gives me a feeling of connection to them, and I hope that someday he will feel the pride and gratitude that I feel.