For these children, a colorful piece of chalk is a powerful tool for self-expression

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Positive Chalk is a D.C.-based organization providing children with the tools and language to advocate for themselves. Its primary tool is chalk and the pavement is their stage.

After the murder of George Floyd in 2020, Val Suarez founded Positive Chalk as a grassroots initiative. As the Movement for Black Lives grew, people across the world lifted their voices, organized in their communities, and marched. As the numbers grew, so did the police enforcement.Val Suarez founded Positive Chalk.Suarez recognized their isolation, so she bought chalk for the children in her community and provided them with the space to express their thoughts about the movement.

"She really wanted to bring a space to the kids that would allow them to transform the pavement to a landscape filled with positive affirmations and messages to the community," Rucker-Bussie said. "While they weren't able to go to Black Lives Matter Plaza and protest with most of the community, they were able to get their voices heard through chalking."

In the months after protests began, Suarez traveled to numerous neighborhoods throughout the city. Since then, Positive Chalk has participated in more than 100 events. And Chelsea Ritter-Soronen, owner of Chalk Riot, a women-led street art crew, said Chalk Walk was her dream collaboration.A few feet away from Penelope's duck art, Ritter-Soronen hovers over a large, colorful mural of animals, plants and a bright blue sky.

"It's always exciting to see other people turned on by the opportunity of sidewalk chalk," Ritter-Soronen said."Something that both Positive Chalk and Chalk Riot share, and I think any pavement artist in the world, is that we understand that the ground is the one place in the world that we all share, whether we're away or not, and that presents an opportunity to express ourselves in public.

 

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destinead16 💖💖💖

Has anyone considered teaching them civics?

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