Uniting family, community

By Jon Moffett

The community center is keeping Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream alive.

YOUNGSTOWN — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream, and a baby shower was held to help make it come true.

“We’re here to celebrate Martin Luther King’s dream of bringing families together and meeting the needs of the community,” said Gwen Alexander, who helped organize the shower. “And what greater way to celebrate than by having a baby shower?”

The third annual City-Wide Baby Shower took place Monday at the Associated Neighborhood Centers, more commonly known as the McGuffey Centre. The center sponsored the event, which was open to expectant and new mothers of children up to 5 years old throughout the city.

Jennifer Miller, executive director of the center, said popular demand has made the event so successful.

“We started this three years ago, and at that time our main emphasis was getting children ready to read,” said Miller. “We had such a large turnout and such a positive crowd that we decided to continue it.”

The event has expanded from literacy exclusively and now includes games and prizes for the families, lunch and multiple stations set up by area businesses with information on parenting.

One of the organizations represented at the event was Planned Parenthood Youngstown Health Center. Diane Carlisle, a representative of the organization, said educating new mothers is the best way to ensure safe and successful parenthood.

“We give a lot of education during their pregnancy as far as them having a healthy baby, and that is the whole goal of our program, to make sure they have a healthy baby,” Carlisle said.

More than 75 adults and 15 children preregistered for the event, Alexander said, but more than 100 came. She added that the crowd is usually between 120-150.

Shanicqua Wilson, 23, of Youngstown brought her two children, Donald, 3, and Dontrell, 1, to the event. She said attending the event is a good way for new mothers to learn about being a parent.

“I think it’s nice to keep the community involved in things and get information about your baby,” Wilson said. “There are a lot of young girls these days having kids who don’t really know what is going on.”

She added having the support of other mothers helps make the process easier.

“There are a lot of surprises you get with kids, even if you baby-sit a lot like I used to. Having your own kids is completely different; it changes a lot of things. I think it’s nice for other women to come out that are pregnant and around your age so you can communicate with them. ... You learn things.”

Alexander said though the event is for new mothers, men shouldn’t be afraid to attend as well.

“I think the men are left out so much” she said. “We always recognize the moms, but today society is requiring the men step up and become ‘Mr. Mom.’ ... I want them to realize the program isn’t geared just toward moms, it’s geared toward families. I think when you take the time to come out as a family unit, then you’re going to grow together. ... I want men to realize they can do these things too.”

Miller said the shower is held on Martin Luther King Jr. Day to help honor King’s dream of unity and togetherness. Alexander agreed with Miller, saying: “There was so much division among people, but now we’re realizing that everybody has the same needs. And I think if we can show how we can come together as a community and share. ... I think that was [King’s] whole source; to bring people together so that they can dream dreams together.”

jmoffett@vindy.com