Black Lives Matter To Me (BLMTM) Activities (for Ages 3 through 18)
“What does Black Lives Matter mean to you?”
An activity guide
by Dr. Rekha S. Rajan
to accompany Raffi’s song,
“BLACK LIVES MATTER TO ME”
The Raffi Foundation is pleased to introduce a new educational activity guide based on Raffi’s song “Black Lives Matter To Me.”
The activity guide was created by Dr. Rekha S. Rajan, author and nationally renowned music educator and arts activist, and is intended for parents and educators to use with children across four age groups (3 – 5/6 – 9/10 – 12/13 – 18) to engage in conversation around freedom, justice, and the right to peaceful protest. The guide connects Raffi’s song “Black Lives Matter To Me” with his Child Honouring ethic.
The activities are organized by age groups and are an opportunity for children and young adults to reflect on Raffi’s song and Dr. Martin Luther King’s words and to see their voices as important. Raffi says, “As a long-time MLK admirer, I’m honoured to pay tribute to his legacy in song. May his words ring far and wide and inspire children like he inspired me.” Written in 2020 in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, Raffi’s song lyrics express a universal longing for freedom and justice.
The activities created by Dr. Rekha S. Rajan connect to Raffi’s Child Honouring ethic, and specifically to the principles of Respectful love, Diversity and Caring Community, by teaching adolescents that their voices matter, that they have a right and purpose to a peaceful protest, to stand up for what they believe in and to feel empowered.