Children have various hobbies from time to time, from swimming to dancing or football, you name it. But 9-year-old Kaitlyn Saunders has found her favorite one yet over the last three years and it’s figure skating.
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Kaitlyn, or the-skate-kid as she calls herself on Instagram, has been practicing the sport for a short time, and still, she is already very good at it!
Figure skating was actually the first winter sport to be included in the Olympic Games in 1908 and it has been captivating the eyes of spectators from all over the world ever since.
But young Kaitlyn is more than just another sports kid. She is also a social being, who understands what is going on around her and wants to be a part of the change she wishes to see in the world. And that what she attempted to do a few days ago.
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Kaitlyn and her parents went to Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington, D.C. a little more than a week ago and the young skater performed to the sounds of her favorite song “Rise Up” by Adra Day. The whole performance took place at 5:30 in the morning, as the girl and her parents thought this would be an ideal time so that the place would be empty.
A week earlier, the Mayor of D.C. had Black Lives Matter painted in front of the White House and that’s why the girl thought this would be the ideal spot for her to perform as a tribute to all those who are currently fighting to end racism and stop police brutality against black people.
“A week ago, the D.C.’s Mayor Bowser @mayor_bowser had the words Black Lives Matter painted on 16th street in front of the White House,” Saunders wrote on Instagram. “She said her hope is that we can all speak up and protect each other. I wanted to share my hope for the future.”
The girl performed while wearing a beautiful white and yellow outfit to match the yellow lettering featured on the street.
The little girl gracefully performed a routine that she came up with on the spot, as she explained that she just “skated how she felt”.
“I think it’s amazing how people can change the world by doing such little things like by making a skating routine,” she said in an interview with Molette Green of NBC.
Saunders’s mother, Katrice, a digital media consultant, told reporters how proud she is of her daughter and how happy she is that the performance touched so many hearts online.
Indeed, the video that was uploaded on Kaitlyn’s YouTube channel then went viral on social media with more than 2.5 million views on Facebook and more than 100K views on Instagram.
Social media users rushed to congratulate the little girl not only on her skating abilities, but also on her “ability to speak from the heart”.
“You, your skating ability, your ability to speak from the heart, and the ability to support such an important cause warmed my heart today. I am your fan for life. Thank you for being you,” someone commented on Instagram.
Indeed, this little skater is an inspiration.
To see her beautiful performance you can play the video below.
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