TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — One Canyon View Elementary School student had the vision to bring together a group of students that would educate others on a matter that she felt wasn’t being talked about enough.
To her luck, her school had a principal who believed in that vision and was willing to take a chance.
That student is Cadence Moore.
“I realized how most people don’t really pay attention to Black culture,” Cadence said. “I knew I wanted to pay attention to it.”
Cadence, an outspoken and inspiring, basketball-loving fifth grader, was determined to shift the conversation.
“I can’t say ‘Hey world pay attention to this stuff!’ So, I started a group in school,” she explained.
The courageous Cadence first brought the idea to her mom, Patricia Moore, who is also the elementary school's music teacher. Trilled with the idea, the mother-daughter duo took the idea to a friend and former faculty member, who then presented the idea to Canyon View's principal, Mr. Henikman. With his full support, The Silhouettes were born.
A group of elementary-grade students, meet once a week to discuss new ways to share and educate their peers on Black history and celebrate the impact of Black culture.
“Some people shy away from it. They are scared to talk about it. They are scared just talking about race can be seen as racist or controversial you know, and we want that to be an open conversation and we want the kids to know that,” Mrs. Moore said.
The Canyon View Silhouettes began last year, with an overall goal to bring together students of color, working to ensure every student feels included and valued.
“We really wanted all students to know their included and I mean I know we are focusing on Black history, Black culture- but we have a wide variety of students in our group, it’s not just Black students,” Mrs. Moore explained.
“Everyone deserves to be celebrated no matter what they look like or what their culture is,” Emma McNulty said, a member of The Silhouettes, who describes herself as, "A person who loves to be here and loves to do everything that we do."
Whether that includes organizing school events that highlight Black history, creating ways to deliver their information through hands-on activities, sharing songs like Life Every Song and Sing, commonly referred to in more recent times as the Black National Anthem, or going to classrooms and educating their peers on Black culture and what Black history means to them.
Emma says regardless of how she "Just wants to celebrate Black culture because they deserve it."
The group is hoping to expand into Esperero Canyon Middle School, so when the fifth-grade Silhouettes go to middle school, their impact can continue.
"It would be great to say you know it started with this group and grew out and go out into the world and say it’s okay to talk about these things and here's what I know and here's what I’ve learned and share that with other people,” said Mrs. Moore.
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Breanna Isbell is a reporter for KGUN 9. She joined the KGUN 9 team in July of 2022 after receiving her bachelor’s degree in sports journalism from Arizona State University in May. Share your story ideas with Breanna by emailing breanna.isbell@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, or Twitter.
