Girls Drink Tea, Play Hardball With Al Sharpton
By Yamiche Alcindor, The Miami Herald
Jul. 25–Smiling over perfectly held cups of tea, 13 girls dressed in princess gowns put tough questions to civil rights activist the Rev. Al Sharpton on Tuesday.
Most questions went to heart of current events: ‘Are we ready for a black or woman president? Have some rappers’ degrading language improved since the firing of Don Imus?”
The girls, ages 2 to 14, participated in the tea party with Sharpton as members of The Embrace Girls Foundation. The program offers life skills, etiquette classes, character education training, as well as social and cultural experiences for girls and boys in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.
Foundation president Velma Lawrence described the tea party as “a wonderful old tradition in which conversation, sisterhood and friendship are shared over tea.”
Tuesday’s event at El Palacio Boutique Hotel and Suites in Miami Gardens began with a warning about the participants from Lawrence: “They won’t be asking girly questions.”
Sheneka Williams, 10, wearing a bright pink dress, a silver tiara, white stockings, and white heels, was among those playing hardball. “Embrace Girl Power is teaching me how to be a young lady and how to make the right choices,” she said.
Fellow participant Khaila Denis, 6, wore a powder blue dress, silver earrings, white stockings and white heels.
The girls researched Sharpton’s background before asking him about his experiences. They asked him to describe the public’s biggest misconception of him. His answer: that the media often fail to mention his days as a 7-year-old Baptist preacher.
One girl asked him to finish this sentence: “My wife always tell me to . . .”
Be quiet and calm down, Sharpton replied.
They asked him why he accepted their invitation.
“I wanted to come because I was fascinated when I was told about the program and what it does for young women,” said Sharpton, who was in town to speak at the National Council of La Raza’s annual convention in Miami Beach. “It’s a very important program, and we need to do away with the idea that black women cannot learn etiquette and embrace who they are.”
Sharpton also announced the founding of the Miami chapter of The National Action Network, an activist organization he heads to address civil rights issues.
Lawrence said events like the tea party help the girls understand their importance in the world. In the past, the program’s youngsters have rubbed shoulders with Hillary Clinton and Judge Lynn Toler of Divorce Court.
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