Shaker African American Mothers Support:
Connection and Community
58 SUMMER 2020 | WWW.SHAKER.LIFE
Above inset: A “Walk & Talk” event in the
Van Aken District.
Opposite inset: A SAMS-sponsored Little Free
Library at Hildana Park.
Both photos courtesy of SAMS.
Each period in life has its challenges. During ordinary times, the
main challenge for many of us is busyness – that feeling that we’re
being pulled in too many directions and just can’t do it all.
When Shaker Heights resident Kim Harris was a young single
mom, life was full just keeping up with the day-to-day. “I didn’t
participate in many school events other than conferences. I worked
two jobs, struggling to keep it together,” says Harris, who has lived
in Shaker for 30 years and has three kids, ages 29, 13, and 11.
After later becoming a stay-at-home mom – and now working
full-time again, as well as being a PTO leader and involved
community member – Harris can relate to mothers in many
different circumstances. Recognizing this, she and a small group
of other African American mothers decided to reach out to those
moms who are sometimes left out of the loop or who seemed to
be missing from PTO and other school-oriented events. And so,
four years ago, Shaker African American Mothers Support (SAMS)
was born.
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