NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) – South Florida students participate in the annual Walk to School Day in honor of Ruby Bridge’s courageous and historic act of becoming the first African American child to attend a former whites-only school in New Orleans.

In 1960, six-year-old Ruby Bridges made history when she was escorted to Williams Frantz Elementary School by federal Marshals amid a desegregation crisis in the South.

Sixty-four years later, Bridges’ courage continues to be celebrated around the world and here in South Florida, with many students consciously putting themselves in her shoes and choosing to walk to school and meditate on the heroic act.

The Ruby Bridges Walk in Liberty City invited parents, students, staff and community members to march together from Holmes Elementary School to Miami Northwestern Senior High School.

“It was only a year or two before I was born. It’s important that our children know that there is real value in standing out and being different, and that children can take the lead,” said Bill Diggs, Executive Director from the Miami-Dade Economic Advocacy Trust. .

However, the purpose of Thursday’s event was twofold. The first reason was to celebrate Bridges and the second was to organize a Math Matters meeting to shed light on the educational disparities that still exist today.

“The biggest challenge for us is to help people understand that education is the beginning of economic opportunity. There is a direct correlation between children’s success from an educational perspective and them living decent and good lives,” Diggs said.

According to Miami-Dade Schools, 60% of students in lower-income neighborhoods face significant challenges with math proficiency.

The Miami-Dade Economic Advocacy Trust is trying to change that by hosting the meeting, which is certainly a message Ruby Bridges would support now that she has created the Ruby Bridges Foundation, which promotes diversity, respect and equal opportunity.

“This is really about empowerment that we know is for the next generation of leaders, community leaders and people who run businesses. Mathematics is the key to artificial intelligence. It’s not going anywhere, it’s getting smarter every day. Technology is the way of the world as we know it,” Diggs said.

Guest speakers from math and science attended the event to encourage children to apply themselves to school and dream big.

“No one in this room wants to fail and that’s why we’re here, because we’re here for you to be successful,” said one speaker.

“You understand that I am from Liberty City. I actually sat in the same seats as you guys,” said another.

This was the first year of the Ruby Bridges walk here in Liberty City, but organizers hope it certainly won’t be the last.

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