Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
All he wanted for Christmas was "safety." Tonight he'll be FLOTUS's guest.
The First Lady ?@FLOTUSMalik Bryant from Chicago wrote Santa a letter asking for one thing: safety. Now he's the First Lady's #SOTU guest? http://go.wh.gov/q75wXi
from the WH:
A lot of kids write letters to Santa Claus when December rolls around, telling him what they want to see under the Christmas tree on December 25. They'll often ask for new toys, video games, clothes, or even pets.
But this past Christmas, 13-year-old Malik Bryant from Chicago wrote Santa with a very different request.
"All I ask for is for safety," he wrote. "I just wanna be safe."
Malik's neighborhood of Englewood has one of the highest rates of violent crime in Chicago. In an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times, Malik's mother explained how he isn't always able to leave his house and go hang out with his cousins, "because he has to cross gang lines and walk past all these gang members on some of those blocks. And all he ever hears on the news about our neighborhood is shootings, gangs and violence."
When a local non-profit organization came across Malik's letter, they did everything they could to get it to the White House. And they were successful: A couple of days after Christmas, Malik received a letter in the mail, signed by President Obama.
In his reply, the President told Malik that his "security is a priority for me in everything I do as President." He also encouraged Malik, telling him that "If you dare to be bold and creative, work hard every day, and care for others, I'm confident you can achieve anything you imagine. And I will be rooting for you."
Watch live at 9 p.m. ET at WhiteHouse.gov/SOTU.
from December:
4 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
Valerie Jarrett ?@vj44 10m10 minutes ago
Malik sent this letter to Santa, and Pres Obama wrote him back. Today, he's @FLOTUS's guest at the State of the Union
