(WXYZ) — For Jalen and Keyonna Seawright of Troy, teaching their young girls about Black history is a priority.
“This month, we’ve done a craft every day surrounding a Black woman in history with our girls,” said Jalen.
He said it’s important for their daughters, Karington, 3, and Kaidence, 2, to learn about women like Rosa Parks and Amanda Gorman.
“We really just make sure to be active about teaching our girls about the women who paved the way for them to be able to have the dreams that I know they will have,” he said.
To honor the 108th birthday of Rosa Parks on Feb. 4, the girls, donning Rosa Parks-inspired outfits, headed to the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn to learn more about her history.
Check out their field trip in the video below:
There, they were able to see the bus on which Rosa Parks sat on that historic day in 1955.
“As soon as we entered into the exhibit area and Karington . . . saw the bus, she immediately screamed out, ’it’s Rosa Parks’ bus!’”
Jalen said seeing their daughters recognize the importance of Black history and the legacy of African American women is a wonderful feeling.
Photo courtesy Jalen Seawright
“It does my heart good to see my girls and to know that as they get older, they will know about the sacrifices that were made for them,” he said.
More recently, the girls celebrated poet Amanda Gorman. Jalen said her performance really moved him.
“When Amanda Gorman began to speak, I literally wept,” he said. “It was just moving to be able to see a young Black person hold the stage of the whole country.”
He said his oldest daughter immediately asked for a red headband so she could look like her.
Photo courtesy Jalen Seawright
“I aspire for my girls to be able to have the opportunities to become someone like Amanda or Rosa Parks or Ida B. Wells or any other strong woman in history,” he said.
Jalen said they will continue lessons into the month, teaching their young daughters about the Black women who have made history and continue to make history paving the way forward.
