Philly bloggers debate during ‘Tuesday for Trayvon’

We are mothers. We are bloggers. But we are not simply “Mommy Bloggers.” We are urban and suburban. We are black, white, Mexican, and in between. We are moms whose skin color matches that of our children and moms whose skin color pales in comparison. And we are united in this issue. We are moved by the killing of Trayvon Martin, and we demand better- for our world and for our children. Yes, we are united, but we don’t all agree.

 

Though we did not debate in person, on Tuesday March 26, a group of 15 bloggers from the Philadelphia area met online to launch “Tuesday for Trayvon.” The idea was simple, yet open-ended. Use Tuesday to harness the power of social media to continue shining the spotlight on this tragic story. We came together because we all believed the story needs to be told, talked about, and acted upon.

 

Many took up the hoodie while others shed it. Some talked about it with their children, while others pointedly decided not to. Some harnessed grief, while others harnessed frustration, and still others found anger where others found hope. Most sat at the crossroads of all of these, unsure of just where to hang our hats.

 

On i forgot what i was doing, Pam Margolis talks about the lessons she teaches her sons, “You teach your sons to pick their battles, and while its important not to be a doormat and get walked on, it’s more important to come home each day: alive and in one piece. Check your ego at the door, you tell them. Mommy just wants you safe.” And Lori Tharps on My American Melting Pot talks about the lessons she teachers hers, “George Zimmerman already stole one childhood, he’s not going to steal two more. As my sons age, I will begin to feed them more of the real story. I plan to give them age appropriate doses of racial reality.”

 

Snippets like these are what made being part of Tuesday for Trayvon so powerful. Reading the multiple and sometimes contrasting ways in which each woman, each mother, tried to process the killing of this young man allowed us all to see things through different eyes. There isn’t enough space here for all the poignant stories and perspectives, but here is the blog roll where you can find them. It’s well worth reading:

 

Cecily Kellogg at Mom Crunch marvels at the power and promise of social media.

Pam Margolis at i forgot what i was doing strongly identifies with, and as, Trayvon’s mother.

I wrote on Germantown Avenue Parents about how life as a mom is scarier than ficiton.

Uneeka Jay at Powemommy Nation writes an open letter as a mom to Gerorge Zimmerman.

Raya at MRSRKFJ has a hoodie-wearing son who could BE trayvon. She vows not to go backwards.

Jessica at Found the Marbles challenges us with some tweets and a grey hoodie test.

Brandi at Mama Knows it All changes her mind: no hoodie.   

Trish Adkins at Yoke wonders, “If my six year old gets it, why didn’t a 28-year-old man?”

Sarah Hughes at Finnegan and the Hughes asks “Is this little boy any different from mine just because of his skin color?”

Rachee at Say it Rah-shay wishes things were much, much simpler for her daughter.

Randi at SAHM’s Crazy Life wonders how to explain to her 5 year old why this happened.

Lori Tharps at My American Melting Pot vows not to let conversations steal the innocence from her own boys.

Ruby at Growing up Blackxican lets us eavesdrop on a conversation between husband and wife. 

Steph at Confessions of a Stay at Home Mom wishes we learned our lessons from Rodney King.

Kelly Faust at Sunshine Hope urges us to seek truth and hope and honesty as we move towards healing.

 

We’d love to hear your thoughts as you read ours. Please feel free to comment here or on the blogs themselves. Whether you’re a mom or not, how are you processing Trayvon’s story?

 

To sign the petition started by Trayvon’s parents, click here.

To join the “Million Hoodies for Trayvon” Facebook group, click here.

 

Northwest Philly Parents is a partnership between Newsworks and Germantown Avenue Parents.