This was yesterday in Church Square Park, a sweet, wonderful morning. Hoboken kids were selling their handmade crafts, baked goods, and enjoyed art in the park. The event was Kids Create for a Cause, a fundraiser for refugees, following Friday night's Lights for Liberty.
Cristin Cricco-Powell posted photos and wrote on Facebook:
"What a sweet morning. We made art, wrote postcards for our reps and for detainees. We read a book, sang This Land is Your Land, heard the immigrant story of Mayor Ravi Bhalla's parents, and Rep. Albio Sires taught us that an 11 year old refugee who speaks no English can grow up to be a US Congressman. Our kids sold baked goods and handmade crafts to raise money for RAICES, The Lighthouse, and Welcome Home. Proud to announce that they raised $406.25! Big props to my co-organizers Emily Jabbour, Nora MartÃnez DeBenedetto, Vera Sirota, and Ron Bautista. Special thanks to The Hoboken Public Library for the well-curated selection of children's books, Alain Mentha from Welcome Home, and all of the parents and kids who brought tables, coffee, baked goods, and crafts."
GA was there for story time. And you know, I'd wondered how parents of small children could explain Trump administration atrocities at the border, the sadistic cruelties inflicted upon desperate people fleeing violence or certain death in their homelands.
Well, Nora DeBenedetto and Cristin Cricco-Powell showed how to do it with stories and song and hope. Their lesson was that America is a good, kind and welcoming place, that families simply want to come here like all of our parents, grandparents, great-grandparents did, from all over the world. The kids listened attentively; learned a new word: "refugee" and with cards and fundraising, opened their hearts to strangers like them. Strangers who simply want to call this country "home."
Well, Nora DeBenedetto and Cristin Cricco-Powell showed how to do it with stories and song and hope. Their lesson was that America is a good, kind and welcoming place, that families simply want to come here like all of our parents, grandparents, great-grandparents did, from all over the world. The kids listened attentively; learned a new word: "refugee" and with cards and fundraising, opened their hearts to strangers like them. Strangers who simply want to call this country "home."
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| Congressman Albio Sires and Mayor Bhalla joined to share their immigration stories to the kids; Albio came from Cuba and Mayor Bhalla's parents came from India |
Lastly, love my colorful plastic craft-bracelets... thanks, kids!
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