The average protester might seem like a young adult, but parents are also bringing out their children with them to demonstrate.
On Wednesday’s St. Louis on the Air, host Sarah Fenske heard from parents about how they navigate the ongoing shift in culture when it comes to conversations about race, and making the decision to bring kids to protests. Joining the discussion were We Stories board members Jenna Voss and Pamela Washington.
Voss is a mom of a 9-year old and 5-year-old twins. She said the Ferguson movement marked a time in her life when she became aware of her white privilege and started her journey of learning how to be anti-racist. Six years later, she now feels comfortable taking to the streets with her children to vocalize their stance against police brutality.
Washington is a black mom of a 13-year-old and 10-year-old. She advises non-black parents in We Stories about conversations they can have with their children about race and racism. She began taking her kids along with her to protest in 2017, after a judge ruled that former St. Louis Metropolitan Police officer Jason Stockey was not guilty of first-degree murder in the 2011 shooting of Anthony Lamar Smith.
Listen to the full conversation:
“St. Louis on the Air” brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is hosted by Sarah Fenske and produced by Alex Heuer, Emily Woodbury, Evie Hemphill, and Lara Hamdan. The audio engineer is Aaron Doerr.
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