MAS Members Empower Community Kids Through MLK Event
Our communities came together to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. across the globe and remind the world we can do better when we work together. In Sheboygan, Wisconsin, members of MAS (Multicultural Alliance at Sargento) partnered with members of BACO (Black-American Community Outreach) to provide a fun-filled educational and free event at Above & Beyond Children’s Museum.
The concept of the event mirrored Dr. King’s teachings, “Making Life Fair for Everyone” - Martin Luther King Jr. helped change rules so people could learn, play, eat, vote, and live together fairly.
BACO President, Toni White shared that BACO exists to bring the community together. “We are striving to connect different communities and bring forth the concept of a better life for all in Sheboygan. We are thrilled to partner with the museum and provide ‘access for all’ to this incredible resource to learn, grow and honor Dr. King together.”
“I am really grateful to be here today, it is a nice way to give back, and I loved how the event was really geared towards younger kids (ages 2-7),” shared Amy Yang, Supplier Quality Supervisor and MAS volunteer. “I think it is so valuable to teach kids the importance of diversity from a very early age – sometimes the little kids get overlooked, but these messages can resonate with everyone.”
Amy, along with Hannah Hinker and Mallary Schenian, volunteered in the art studio and engaged with kids on changing the world with their own two hands, piggybacking off a song lyric from Ben Harper. “I can change the world with my own two hands. Make a better place with my own two hands. Make a kinder place with my own two hands.”
Mathana Ramasubbiah, Network Services Manager enjoyed seeing the kids’ point of view as they learned through play. “We worked together to build towers and bridges with soft blocks and it was incredible to see how their minds worked liked civil engineers, even at such a young age. It truly inspired me to remember that we all can learn from those around us, no matter how old or young someone is.”
Marc Farago, IT Service Desk Analyst volunteered his time in the restaurant & kitchen area. “It was fun to play with each kid/ family and talk about the wide breadth of foods. The museum has an incredible variety of handmade fake felty foods, so it gave us the chance to talk about a lot of it – their likes and dislikes… I kept encouraging them to add cheese to their dishes!”
It was clear at each station that our Sargento Family members were having an impact on all the participants at the event – whether it was kids and families or even volunteers.
When little kids weren’t playing at their station – Rob Tune, Director of Strategic Channels got to know his volunteer counterparts. 8th grader Simon and 4th grader Kaleb also took time today to support the MLK community event, and it was clear all three of them learned together and were inspired by the day in their volunteer roles.
The guys bonded over sports, favorite teams, players and plans for the future. It was fun to see the younger guys excitedly share with Rob their plans and accolades on and off the field and Rob was quick to encourage them to grow and try new things.
“I had a great time volunteering with these two – and I learned a lot from them as well. Talking sports easily brings people together and Kaleb and I even learned that we are both part Cuban!”
Despite the cold day, the sun shone through the many windows and warmed the space, providing light and joy to everyone. The museum was truly a perfect location for this collaborative learning event.
With this day of service, MAS connected the Sargento Family to our community and each other. That’s the goal of our employee business groups at Sargento.
