Soccer in the Streets has been working with youth players for 30 years to build a more equitable society. As we work in low-income communities, we know they are impacted the most by the tragic events that continue to happen in our country. These events have hit children especially hard and we want to make sure our kids’ voices are heard.
Clarkston youth players attending BLM protests Photos By: DaveWilliamsonPhotography
As part of an ongoing effort to support the Black Lives Matter movement and support our young players, we organized a forum for our players in the Southside as a starting point to share their point of view. The forum was led by Coach Ulric Alsobrook who manages the Southside program and Nyema Johnson, one of the parents from the Southside. Eighteen kids and five parents participated. We were fortunate to have Mrs. Johnson moderate the forum as she is a homeschooled black mother who was able to create a dialogue where the 8-14-year-old kids were able to share their thoughts and feelings.
“My goal was to give these beautiful families space to process, to share in each other’s pain, and to be reminded that they are Valued! I personally know that no matter what they see on tv as their representation or even experience, they are made in the Image of God,” said Mrs. Johnson. “They have worth and value. This drives me to invest as much time needed to care for and stand with our youth and their families. They have a purpose and they matter!”
She also stated, “During the forum, I was hoping to hear hearts-and I did. I wanted them to feel safe—I pray and believe they did. I wanted them to know that We hear them and that they are not alone. I believe we felt united and the burden of our silence seemed to be lifted.”
Throughout the forum, topics consisted of the death of George Floyd, racism, police brutality, and what protests mean. The kids were able to speak up and let their voices be heard as Ms. Johnson asked various questions on these topics to facilitate the conversation. It was a very meaningful conversation to have as tough as it was. We wanted everyone to feel that grieving is okay.
As an organization, we decided to keep these quotes anonymous but we felt it was important to share what many of the kids and parents had to say. It was heartbreaking and powerful to listen to their perspective and experiences at such a young age.
Clarkston youth players attending BLM protests Photos By: DaveWilliamsonPhotography
We are going to continue to work with our kids and hold more educational forums with our other programs around Atlanta. Everyone needs to have a voice at Soccer in the Streets, and we’re committed to making sure their voices are heard. Take a moment to read some of the things our kids and some of the parents shared during the virtual forum below.
Then please consider sharing this post with your network and donating to support our work all over Atlanta. It’s important for everyone to understand the reality many kids face in America. Together, we can continue working to build a more equitable society for all.
“I felt mad that something hasn’t happened to the police officers till way after the fact no matter what their skin color is.”
“I’m a mother and in the army for many years, but how we are treated of color makes me look at all of this in a different light as a mother wearing a uniform every day. It’s super frustrating.”
“I feel anger, confusion, and sadness. It makes me angry because it’s been happening for many years in different ways. Confusion because I don’t know how he can do that to another human being. Sadness because the people who hurt George Floyd don’t realize he had a family and he’s no longer with them.”
“I feel anger and sadness but it is motivational; because we need to step up as minorities and we are here for a purpose. We need to fulfill our purpose.”
“I feel awful and uncomfortable at times. It’s stressful and makes me feel anxious. As a kid, I feel scared. I could be trying to exercise outside and what if the police try to arrest me because of the color of my skin?”
“To get through this I have been praying and saying that it will all get better one day. Family and friends have helped me get through this as well. Keeping myself informed is helpful.”
“We as parents are thankful that the coaches at Soccer in the Streets are being proactive during this time even though this situation isn’t about soccer.”
Final words from Mrs. Johnson - “I was so appreciative that I was able to hear, learn, and mourn with the sadness of our wonderful black children. As I heard our brilliant youth share their hearts about their struggles, fears, and sadness, unfortunately, I wasn’t too shocked because as a black mother of 5 black children and a wife of a black husband, I’ve heard those same sentiments way too many times. It’s a sobering and harsh reality that there is still great fear because of the color of our skin. This makes me grieve. Nonetheless, I applaud their courage, their strength, their desire to see something better, their desire to see AND be the change, and their steadfastness.”
Clarkston youth players attending BLM protests - Photos By: DaveWilliamsonPhotography