Today's Thoughtful Thursday showcases more current voices in poetry, courtesy of poets.org's focus on featuring Black poets in its poem-a-day offering throughout the summer. If there were ever a time to subscribe to poem-a-day, it would be now, so that you can have Black poetry pop into your inbox on a daily basis for the next few months. What [...]
This week on Ground Control Parenting with Carol Sutton Lewis: Anne Williams-Isom, Dumpson Chair in Child Welfare Studies at Fordham University's Graduate School of Social Service and former CEO of The Harlem Children's Zone. Anne is a passionate child and family advocate who shares her extensive professional expertise and her remarkably good common sense in this great parenting conversation. [...]
On July 5, 1852, Frederick Douglass gave a keynote address at an Independence Day celebration and asked, "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?". He acknowledged the Founding Father's ideals of freedom, but lamented that these ideals were painfully hypocritical in light of the existence of slavery in the U.S. Five young descendants of Douglass recently gathered [...]
We are a few days away from Independence Day 2020. As in prior years today's Thoughtful Thursday celebrates Independence Day with two poems from one of America's most beloved and well-known poets, Langston Hughes (1902-1967). These poems are even more powerful in light of recent events. Share and discuss with your children. Enjoy, and enjoy the 4th! I, Too, [...]
Nick News is back with a special hour-long presentation–Kids, Race and Unity: A Nick News Special, premiering TONIGHT, June 29, at 7 p.m. (ET/PT). Hosted by global superstar Alicia Keys, the program will feature the leaders of the Black Lives Matter movement answering children's questions, offer tools for families to have constructive conversations about race and inclusivity, and highlight [...]
In today's Thoughtful Thursday we focus on two young African American poets: Angelo Geter (left photo) and Joshua Bennett (right photo). Angelo Geter is a poet and performance artist also known as "EyeAmBic." A National Poetry Slam champion, Geter is releasing his debut poetry collection in late 2020. He is the Poet Laureate of Rock Hill, SC, and an Academy [...]
Crystal McCrary McGuire The new episode of the Ground Control Parenting with Carol Sutton Lewis podcast is LIVE!! Filmmaker and author Crystal McCrary McGuire, mom of three whose son Cole Anthony is a 2020 top NBA draft prospect, is this week’s guest. Crystal shares how she helps all of her children pursue their passions, the keys to making [...]
Ground Control Parenting with Carol Sutton Lewis is up and running! Filmmaker and author Crystal McCrary McGuire, mom of three whose son Cole Anthony is a 2020 top NBA draft prospect, is this week's guest. Crystal shares how she helps all of her children pursue their passions, the keys to making a blended family run smoothly, and much more. You can find it [...]
Did you celebrate Juneteenth with your family this year? My father's family is from Texas, so I grew up hearing about Juneteenth celebrations from Texas relatives, but my family didn't celebrate it in NYC. Fast forward to yesterday–Juneteenth celebrations were everywhere! Some companies gave their employees the day off, social media exploded with Juneteenth graphics, memes and hashtags, and [...]
Today's Thoughtful Thursday presents the poem "What Shall I Tell My Children Who are Black (Reflections of an African American Mother)" by artist, poet, author, and educator Margaret Burroughs (1915-2010). It was written in 1968, but could well have been written this week. In it Burroughs addresses the issue of how to raise black boys up to be confident [...]