"This is Madam CJ Walker..."

Ahhhh, elementary school performances....

So Abby had a performance at the school today. They were doing their annual "African American Wax Museum" presentation. Basically they have kids chose a famous African American to dress up as and then another kid reads a blurb about that person. Because Abby is most definitely NOT black, I wasn't sure if she would want to participate. I suggested she be a presenter.
I want to insert that I realize this might seem a very narrow-minded thing, but I just wasn't sure I wanted to put Abby through any rejection if they wouldn't let her be a famous person. They didn't say that any kid could be any person, nor did they say any kid couldn't be any person. It is all very weird, in my opinion.
She agreed to be a presenter, so we filled out the form and waited to see who she would be assigned. This is what they said, "Your child has been selected to be a presenter in the African American Wax Museum. She will be presenting Madam CJ Walker." Then they gave instructions yada yada. I have to honestly admit the first time I saw the name, I thought (now why in the WORLD would they be celebrating a Madam?) And then I thought (if she is truly a Madam, then how am I going to decline this role without embarrassing Abby?) Then I decided I should probably just research here. So I went to Wikipedia (and yes I saw that 30 Rock episode, and I was slightly paranoid, inaccurate information would be there...). This is the article from Wikipedia.

Obviously, I was extremely relieved. Now I just had to summarize her whole life in a few sentences. After submitting our first script draft, we finalized on these lines:

Madam CJ Walker

This is Madam CJ Walker. She was the first member of her family to be born free. Her parents were slaves. Her fortune was made by making and selling beauty and hair products for black women. Madam CJ Walker was generous with her wealth and gave money to many causes she believed in.

She once said, “There is no royal, flower-strewn path to success. And if there is, I have not found it for if I have accomplished anything in life, it is because I have been willing to work hard.”

The last part (in quotes) was optional. Well we practiced and practiced (they were supposed to memorize it). She got the first part down in a few days, and said she didn't want to do the last part. I told her that was fine. Then one day when I was fixing her hair, I told her to go through her lines. She did the WHOLE thing. We hadn't even really worked on the last part. So I told her she should do the whole thing at the presentation. She worked so hard and did so well.

Iris and I showed up early, got a seat in front (hehehe--overbearing mother alert) and waited. She looked so pretty waiting to give her lines. And she looked shocked and excited that we were there. Which is funny because I told her about a million times that I would be there. Iris was a little disruptive (remind me not to take her to a school performance in the afternoon with no nap), but she was happy to watch her sister. She did an awesome job, but for some reason decided not to do the last part (I'm trying hard not to be too disappointed-- overbearing mother alert). So here it is, all 20-some seconds of it! I apologize for the shaky image and weird sound... I have no good excuse.



Here are some stills of Abby with the group:

She is waiting for it to start:

Here is the whole group (grades K-2)

Speaking of being loud (LOL), we found out Abby's loud voice has nothing to do with her hearing and everything to do with being loud. My sister also suggested that maybe I yell too much. Well, maybe, but I'm not the one getting into trouble at school. So we will continue to just keep working with her, and maybe I'll try not to yell so much (Sure, right, uh-huh, whatever).