“There are a lot of things you can do to give back to your community, but I just do yoga,” said 9-year-old Michael Thompson.
CEDAR HILL, Texas — It’s hard being brothers, but the Thompson brothers make it work.
“We’re black boys and we meditate,” said 9-year-old Michael Thompson.
For over a year, Michael and his younger brothers Jordan, 7, and Jalen, 4, have been attending their mother’s yoga studio in Cedar Hill.
“We wanted the kids to not only learn how to control their emotions by watching what their mom does and learning how to do it, but also to feel confident as leaders and create something,” said Hertha Thompson of Aura House.
That’s exactly what our brothers did: they launched Black Boys Meditate.
“My siblings and I help our kids feel strong and happy through yoga, meditation, emotional management and using positive language,” Michael said.
“The program is focused on bringing mindfulness to underserved communities,” Hertha Thompson said, “We want to make sure we reach as many kids as possible because they’re facing a lot of issues right now with social media and the messages they’re getting and unfortunately suicide rates, depression, anxiety, and so on and so forth. So, with the younger generation, if we can teach kids how to deal with the stresses of everyday life, it will help their mental health.”
They use coloring books called “Coloring Calm” and exercises such as the alphabet of affirmations, and they also teach yoga to adults and children.
Each brother plays his own role, but on Saturday Michael will be stretching alone.
“He’s going to be honored at the Kids’ Choice Awards, which is just amazing because I grew up watching Nickelodeon,” Hertha Thompson said.
Michael will be honored for founding Black Boys Meditate. He received a bronze medal for his contributions to the community. He hopes to win the gold medal in September.
“When I found out about this, I thought, ‘How can a little group from the Southwest work with Nickelodeon?'” Michael said.
The answer is simply to have an impact.
“There are a lot of things you can do to give back to the community. I just do yoga,” Michael said.
It’s a skill that not only keeps them grounded but also helps their community stay emotionally balanced.
