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Two 'Pop The Bubble' Kid Speakers to be Featured on Nickelodeon

Jun 26, 2020 06:26PM ● By Jeanne Fratello
The "Pop the Bubble on Racism" kids' rally in Manhattan Beach drew eloquent kid speakers. Now two of them will be featured on a Nickelodeon special on race and inclusivity.

Claudia Yvonne Chavez, 11, and Noah Francois, 12, will be two of the young voices featured on a new Nickelodeon show, Kids, Race, and Unity: A Nick News Special, to air on Monday, June 29,  at 7:00 p.m.

The show features singer Alicia Keys as the host. It aims to "amplify the voices and experiences of Black children across the country amid current events," according to a statement from Nickelodeon. It will include leaders of the Black Lives Matter movement answering questions from real kids, including Chavez and Francois. 

Chavez and Francois grabbed national attention for their eloquent words at the June 6 "Pop the Bubble" rally in Manhattan Beach. 

In his remarks at the rally, Francois said, "Black people are still facing racism and injustice every day. Some of my closest friends are white and their friendships mean the world to me. But these friends will never have the same fears I have. They will never hear about how their dad got beat up because of the color of his skin. They will never have the same fear when they get pulled over by a police officer. They will never have the feeling of someone being afraid of them because of race. We don't want my or any future generation to have those fears anymore."

Chavez talked at the rally about how her grandfather had led a sit-in that ultimately led to a Supreme Court case ruling that desegregated all restaurants in Louisiana. "Now all people of color can enter all restaurants, sit and have a meal. I feel that it is my generation's responsibility to continue his legacy and all those who fought for racial equally, justice and peace," she said. 

Impact of Rally Continues


The "Pop the Bubble on Racism" rally drew between 500 and 1,000 people, which is far more than organizers had expected.

"We’ve had such a positive response to something that we thought was going to be a couple of moms," said Melissa Robinson-Chavez, Claudia's mother and one of the organizers of the Manhattan Beach rally. "It was very powerful for a lot of the kids who were there."

The rally featured a series of poised and confident young people who spoke eloquently in front of the crowd. Robinson-Chavez said that after the rally a Nickelodeon producer had reached out to her about the kids' speeches.

"I’m just so proud of these kids and what they've accomplished," said Robinson-Chavez.

Robinson-Chavez, along with co-organizers Melanie Barrows, Lisa Bennett, Lindsey Fox, and Nicole Spencer lead an organization called Pop The Bubble 2020. The organization aims to "empower children through education, empathy and action and replacing 'anti' behaviors and actions with compassion and acceptance."

The group is working on more events and partnerships to come forward in the next few months.


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