YWCA’s Potluck for Peace teaches kids about skin color differences

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Teaching kids about race and diversity through interactive activities, that’s the idea behind the Potluck for Peace held on Thursday at Empie Park.

The quarterly event is hosted by the YWCA of the Lower Cape Fear, and the July event is directed at children.

The theme for this year’s event was ‘What’s wrong with different?’

Instead of a true potluck, kids got to enjoy pizza and snacks and learn about cultural differences, melanin, and how skin tones differ based on our proximity to the equator.

YWCA Lower Cape Fear CEO Velva Jenkins says that conversation is had using art as a tool.

“We’re using paints to show the different colors in skin tone and what colors take to blend together to get different skin tone, and why people have different skin tone,” Jenkins said. “And so this conversation is built for kids, children, where they can understand that we’re all the same on the inside.”

The YWCA is also collecting school supplies for local elementary school students. Those can be dropped off at the YWCA at 2815 South College Road before August 10.