honoring S E P T I M A P. C L A R K
A historical marker was dedicated in front of civil rights activist Septima P. Clark’s childhood home at 105 Wentworth St. on May 3, which would have been her 120th birthday. Septima was a fearless warrior for education and civil rights who Martin Luther King Jr. called “The Mother of the Movement.” She is known for establishing citizenship schools across the South to help teach African-American men and women to read and to encourage them to vote. Poet Marcus Amaker shares the poem “Movement’s Mother” he wrote for the dedication of the marker. Artist Jonathan Green revealed a portrait of Septima Clark for the dedication.The portrait is being displayed at the Avery Research Center at College of Charleston.
community MOVEMENT’S MOTHER By Marcus Amaker
I. There are spirits among us – ghosts of grassroots movements echoing through our soil. Charleston’s poinsettia was a warrior woman who blossomed despite an unholy city’s unsettled winds. She was light through dark matter, a sunflower through storms, a teacher of feminism and freedom with lessons overstepping limitations for a nation that needed to move forward. Stillness was not an option. II. There’s a song among us. An out-of-tune harmony written by deep-rooted pain with racism’s wretched refrain. But, a daughter of the Lowcountry became the conductor of change – clearing the air for a chorus of beautiful black voices. Because silence was not an option. III. There’s still worry within us. Tireless activists have died running marathons with worn-out tears, weary with fear, blinded by lies.
SEPTIMA CLARK By Jonathan Green
How one program ensures that children don’t go hungry over the summer BY HELEN MITTERNIGHT
The last bell of the school year often means freedom for students, the end of homework and early mornings. But, for some, it also means the end of regular, nutritious meals. But June 4 through Aug. 19, the Medical University of South Carolina offers free breakfast and lunch to all children, thanks to Kids Eat Free, sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture and administered by the South Carolina Department of Education. “The program ensures that children have access to safe and nutritious food during the summer when the breakfast or lunch programs are suspended because school’s not in session,” says Debbie Petitpain, who is the Sodexo wellness dietitian at MUSC. Kids Eat Free began after Petitpain attended a USDA talk about obesity in South Carolina.The ironic connection between children who are food-insecure and obesity is that families, struggling to make ends meet, often buy the cheapest and most filling food, which is rarely the healthiest. “I work for Sodexo and we’re really good at feeding people,” Debbie says. “I figured this was something we knew how to do and if we could figure out how to put this program in place, it made sense that it was something we needed to do. I thought it would be easy. I was wrong because the law isn’t written for nontraditional spaces. But it still had to be done.” Sodexo is the food services company behind many hospitals, schools and sporting events. The program began in 2015 and, in the summers since then, 13,000 meals have been served to kids in need. “The first summer, we fed 2,385 and at the time, we went out to see what other hospitals were doing this,” Debbie says. “We found very few, but that meant we had sort of a blank slate to build the program. We wanted to make sure we were documenting the process so we could help others, and we’ve seen a 250 percent increase in hospitals doing this kind of a program. In 2017, hospitals across the country served 40,000.” Anyone 18 or younger can eat breakfast or lunch for free in both MUSC cafeterias. At the closest elementary school, James Simons, 68 percent of the students qualify for free or reduced lunches, so Debbie says at least some of the children are probably from that school. Others are at the hospital for a medical appointment and take advantage of the free meals while there.
But we can look through the visionary eyes of Septima Clark.
“We don’t ask them why they are here, they don’t fill out any paperwork. It’s beautiful, it makes all the kids the same,” Debbie says.
She, who taught giants how to be tall.
“It does highlight that there is an opportunity for places to serve summer meals and to create ease of access.The USDA has really been working to identify nontraditional partners,” Petitpain says. “A great example is libraries. Ten years ago, you wouldn’t have thought of doing that, but it’s a trusted institution and it provides activity for the kids besides eating. We’ve seen a lot of these nontraditional places starting to get engaged in this program.”
She, who humbly rose so high that heavenly elevation is normalized. Falling down is no longer an option.
The goal, Debbie says, is to expand the program so that every child who needs meals has access to a site that serves them.
TO FIND THE CLOSEST PROGRAM:
Visit fns.usda.gov/summerfoodrocks or text “Food” to 877877
13,000
over
meals served since 2015 8
skirt . | june 2018
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