Kim Harris, and her sons (L-R) Christopher Cunningham, Jonathan Martin and Damion Cunningham.
WWW.SHAKER.LIFE | SUMMER 2020 59
SAMS’ mission is to offer community and
connection to all moms. “We often are misunderstood
to be a group that is only interested in helping and
working with black mothers, and that is incorrect,”
says Harris.
In typical times, SAMS is out and about in the
community. Last summer, a signature event was
the SAMS Walk and Talk in the Van Aken District
on Thursday evenings, which festively combined
exercise, getting to know Shaker neighbors,
and learning about the businesses in the VAD.
(Walk and Talk will return as soon as community
guidelines allow.) During the school year, SAMS has
hosted events such as the Mothers Walk, in which
mothers tour the Middle School, do yoga, and learn
about people and community groups in Shaker.
Hildana Park Celebration:
Watch the video.
Tip: To watch video, hold your
phone’s camera over the QR
code or use bit.ly/hildana.
Outreach to students is also key. “We are very proud of our
tutoring program at Lomond Elementary,” says Harris.
During the pandemic, when students were out of school,
the SAMS-founded Little Free Libraries (LFL) at Boulevard and
Lomond schools, and the newest one at Hildana Park, were
thriving, often filling in for regular access to school and public
libraries. The Hildana Park library in the Moreland neighborhood
was the result of a partnership with the Friends of the Shaker
Library. And last summer, SAMS hosted an event at Hildana Park.
(Use QR code below to see video.) “We welcomed families from
all Shaker neighborhoods to check out the park’s renovations,
while encouraging neighbors from various neighborhoods
to mix,” says Harris.
When SAMS can’t bring people together in person, the
support still continues. Sometimes a mother might need someone
to talk to about navigating a difficult situation with their child –
or, in times of social distancing, just talking about anything at all
can be a needed lift.
Shaker institutions and community leaders have given
SAMS a warm reception in the years since its founding –
Harris mentions the mayor, the schools, MyCom, the libraries, the
police department, and others. “I often refer to them as my Shaker
family, because that’s the feeling I get while working with them.
I think it really shows the commitment Shaker has to inclusion and
how it is dedicated to equity efforts.”
As community life opens up again, Harris encourages
all Shaker residents to get involved. “Again, I would like people
to know that SAMS is a group open to all,” says Harris.
“When you hear about a SAMS event, we want you to mark
your calendars and join in with the intent to meet someone
new and enjoy the company of a neighbor. People can check
our website at samsmoms.com for upcoming events or
email sams.moms1@gmail.com for more information.”
/WWW.SHAKER.LIFE
/samsmoms.com
link