Senator Parker Walks To School In Remembrance of Ruby Bridges

Brooklyn, NY- In a show of community support, Senator Kevin Parker let his feet do the talking by partnering with AAA Northeast to participate in the Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day on Tuesday, November 14. The annual walk initiated by AAA School Safety Patrollers in 2018 celebrates and honors the legacy of Ruby Bridges, a Civil Rights icon who became a symbol of courage and equality on her first day of school on November 14, 1960.

“I was honored to join forces with AAA Northeast in supporting the Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day. It was a remarkable event that reminded us of the importance of recognizing and commemorating the individuals who paved the way for equal rights,” said Senator Parker.

The event was attended by P.S. 198 and P.S. 109, both located in Senator Parker’s district. The students engaged in fruitful dialogue about civil rights and the significance of equality in education.

The courageous actions of Ruby Bridges inspired Norman Rockwell's painting 'The Problem We All Live With' (1963). The painting portrays a young Bridges walking to school with two groups of marshals, while a racial slur is visible on the wall behind them. Bridges' story was also featured in The Story of Ruby Bridges (1995), a children's book by Coles that is based on his conversations with her.

The Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day, a student-led movement, originated from a question posed by a group of AAA School Safety Patrollers from Martin Elementary in South San Francisco. These young students who learned about Ruby Bridges’ story for the first time nearly 60 years later were inspired by her courage and bravery, leading them to propose the idea of a commemorative day.

AAA Northeast, a membership-based organization, actively supported this meaningful event. They offer various services, including travel options, discounted attraction tickets, and travel money services.

                                                About State Senator Kevin Parker

Senator Kevin S. Parker is intimately familiar with the needs of his ethnically diverse Brooklyn district comprising sections of Flatbush, East Flatbush, Kensington, Ditmas Park, Midwood, Flatlands, Canarsie, Georgetown, Old Mill Basin, Mill Basin, Marine Park, and Bergen Beach. A lifelong Brooklyn resident, Senator Parker is the Chairman of the Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee and a member of several other Senate committees, including Finance, Rules, Banks, Internet, and Technology, as well as Budget and Revenue.