The Voice of Sydney Jade and Her Son…. #HisNameIsCayden

Sydney Jade…. that’s her name, she is Cayden’s mother. Such a beautiful and strong young mother. A woman I now call my friend…my sister and I can’t imagine what it must feel like to have your life thrown into the world of the often mean streets of the internet. To be living your everyday life and all sudden and without your permission…. your world is completely changed. From the day I met Sydney I’ve only wanted to help give an (unedited) voice to her and Cayden’s truth. A safe, trusted space to speak her mind….

This blog is dedicated to the voice of Sydney and Cayden.

IJ: How are you Sydney?

Sydney: “Ready for life to get back to normal. I love my son’s name being used in such a positive way but I’m ready for life to get back to normal..lol”

IJ: How is Cayden doing? Is he aware of all that is going on?

Sydney: “Cayden is fine but he’s a smart little boy. He knows he on the tv and Mommy is on the tv but then he just goes back to playing with his toys.”

IJ: How are you dealing with all the sudden media attention and interviews about you and Cayden?

Sydney: “I don’t mind the interviews. At first I got really tired of it. All the lies that people were writing and sharing about my son. I kept saying over and over that my son was not abandoned, deaf or mute but people kept putting out different articles saying he was. But now I don’t mind because people are finally hearing the truth and they know those things about my son aren’t true. Its helping with my mission to show how loving he is.”

IJ: How do you feel about all the attention surrounding “Geris Hilton’s” resurrected Facebook page? His “apology”? Making his profile picture using the #HisNameIsCayden hashtag?

Sydney: “He’s making it about himself when it should be about Cayden at this point. Because he cant be the victim when a 3 year old child is involved… no one is the victim but the child. I mean, how can you say you didn’t do anything but then admit to calling him “feral”? He keeps contradicting himself. He keeps making up different stories. First he said he defended him then these “new” screenshots come out and they’re saying they didn’t even make the comments that he claims he defended him on. So which is it and why are they all apologizing if they didn’t say anything wrong?”

IJ: Why havent you responded to his ‘apology” or email?

Sydney: “I have no words to say to him.”

IJ: Were you ever friends with “him” on Facebook?

Sydney: “No. I didn’t even know he had a Facebook. Before all this happened I was only friends with one co-worker and it wasnt him.”

IJ: There’s been a whole lot social media attention that has come your way since all of this. How are you handling all the feedback you’ve been getting?

Sydney: “Well, for every one negative comment I see.. I see 1,000 positive comments and that makes me feel like I’ve accomplished what I wanted… for people to see how great Cayden is. That makes all of this worth it.

IJ: So how have things been back at work since all of this happened?

Sydney: “We’re all just trying to get back to normal. I love working for Polaris Marketing Group. It’s a small office of 5 offices and 12 other employees. It’s very family friendly. I was even told there was an open door for children in this office when I first interviewed with the company which was very important for me. Michael (her supervisor) is very accommodating for mothers and their children. He is 100% behind me and Cayden and I thank him for that.”

IJ: Do you think you think you will tell Cayden about all of this?

Sydney: “When he grows up I will answer any questions he asks but I wont bring it up”

IJ: How will you explain all the birthday gifts people want to send to Polaris for him?

Sydney: “I will probably come up with some big, creative story that would make a 4-year-old feel special lol. Im very grateful for all that people have given out of love and support for Cayden”

IJ: How do you feel about the hashtag #HisNameIsCayden? To have your son’s name trending?

Sydney: “I love this hashtag. The hashtag turned this into something so positive. When you (Ife Johari) made that first post and you made the hashtag that just defined everything I wanted to say. I fell in love with it. Because this child isn’t abandoned, he’s not mute, his name isnt Toby, his name is Cayden. The hashtag gives his name a positive voice and I love you for that.”

IJ: ❤

IJ: I know people have asked you do you forgive him? Do you?

Sydney: “I cant even talk about that word. I only have one word…. Why? Why did he take the picture in the first place? Why did he post it without telling me? Why didn’t he take the post down once his friends started making the racist comments? Why did he come to work everyday after that without telling me what happened and that he had posted my child’s picture? Why did it take for this to go viral for him to apologize? I cant talk about forgiveness until those questions are answered.”

IJ: How do you want this to end? When this is all over and in 5 years what is it that you will want people to remember?

Sydney: That Cayden has a family who loves him…and now we have an extended family starting with you Ife, a family that came together from all around the world to love him. A child that none of them know personally. If Cayden understood what was happening he would feel the same gratitude that I do.I want people to always remember the positive, the love, not that negative post but all the love that came from this and that you can always turn a negative into a positive. I want people to remember that #HisNameIsCayden.

#HisNameIsCayden …not Toby…not sambo #HisNameIsCayden

Updated Thursday, October 8, 2015.

By now many may be aware of a beautiful little boy named Cayden. In case you aren’t aware, Cayden was subjected to horribly racist comments made about him from one of his mother, Sydney’s co-workers. Gerod Roth using the alias Geris Hilton took a picture of Cayden while he was at work with his mother one day and posted it to his Facebook page where he and his friends then proceeded to make racist comments about Cayden. Comments such as calling him “Toby”, “Kunta Kente”, “sambo” and “feral” with one of Geris/Gerod friends “stating that she didnt know that he was a slave owner” or that he got Cayden from the Black market. Geris/Gerod initially made the post on September 16, 2015 unbeknownst to his mother. He then went to work everyday speaking to and smiling in Sydney’s face while making these horrible comments behind her back. In one screenshot someone took Geris/Gerod made up terrible lies about Sydney and Cayden that has gone viral along with the picture.

For the record Cayden has never been abandoned and he is neither deaf nor mute. He is a beautifully, loving happy 3 1/2 year old boy who is loved by his family.

I became aware of all of this when a post came through my Facebook newsfeeds on Thursday night. I was appalled at what was being said about this beautiful little boy. I immediately wanted to know who HE was. A search revealed that Black Twitter was already on the case with finding Geris/Gerod’s and his friends’ employers so instead I put my focus into finding out who the child and his mother was and after making several posts that night I was put in contact with Sydney. I reached out to her in order to help give a voice to her and her son…and I learned that #HisNameIsCayden.

Since then Geris/Gerod has lost both of his jobs. One under the name Geris at YourEDM and the other under the name Gerod at Polaris Marketing Group.

One of the commenters on Geris/Gerod’s post, Emily has also lost her job as well. The others on the original racist post have either gone into hiding or have hidden info in their “about” sections. One in particular, Baron O’Malley is a very proud racist who has made it his business to make more racist comments on my page and even has made an appearance on Cayden’s grandmother, Susan’s page. He has no decency or morals when it comes to how to treat a child and he doesnt seem to care… he seems to think the pain that this has caused to Cayden’s mother is funny. I dont know how or in what world would making slave jokes about a toddler could ever be considered funny. This is a blatant example of how post racial this country is NOT.

In the wake of all the negativity that has surrounded this story… love and positivity was born. The overwhelming love and support for Sydney and Cayden has come pouring in. She and her family are very grateful for the support she and Cayden have received. Many people have asked how they can send gifts to Cayden in support of or for his 4th birthday on October 28th. One woman out of Detroit, MI, Jaulon Peoples has offered to make Caydens birthday cake (he personally requested a Ninja Turtle cake), Sydney’s best friend created a gofundme for Cayden’s college fund, and Sydney’s supervisor, Michael Da Graco Pinta who was very disturbed by all of this and who terminated Gerod Roth over his racist comments has agreed to have all gifts for Cayden’s birthday be sent to Polaris Marketing Group.

Please click on the image to donate to Cayden’s College Fund

Please send gifts for Cayden to: (remember his birthday is Oct. 28th)

ATTN: #HisNameIsCayden 

Polaris Marketing Group, 1900 Century Place NE suite #210, Atlanta, GA 30345

Imagine that in 20 years when little Cayden is all grown up he will know that there were horrible people who told lies about him and used his image for hate but that there were thousands of people who overshadowed that hate with their unconditional support and love for him. THAT is the part of this story we want Cayden to know. He is loved. #HisNameIsCayden

                 

We Love You Cayden!!

Polaris Marketing Group updated their Facebook status Tuesday evening to clarify that Geris Hilton was not terminated from their company because of his Facebook posts.

See the post below:

  

Family of Kendrick Johnson Speaks Out About Georgia Capitol Protest at Ebenezer Baptist

Continuing the fight for justice for Kendrick Johnson….

Who’s policing the police? Why no one tracks police use of deadly force

More Louise Little – Less Malcolm X

I came across this blog while digging for more information on Louise Little. But the more I find the more questions I have. How is it possible that the mother of such a powerful historical figure could live 94 years (until 1991) with little to nothing being written about her? I dont even remember her death being “news” in 1991. What about her relationships with her children after being released from the hospital? What about her grandchildren and great grandchildren? Surely SOMEONE has some great stories to tell about this amazing woman! I also find it odd that I could find no modern day pictures of her, no census records past 1930, no NOTHING! Is there an obituary somewhere?! So many questions with silence as the answer…. I just dont understand. But I am excited to see someone doing a “project” on her and hopefully some of my questions will be answered… She deserves for her voice to be heard….even in death!

On wishes and horses

Update 30 January 2021: I wrote the post below nearly 10 years ago. It became the start of an incredible journey, one that I consider to be the honour of my life. Because of my burning curiosity about Louise’s life, expressed in the blog below, the Little Jones family got in touch.

In 2013, I travelled to the USA from the UK and spent time with the family of Yvonne Little, Louise’s youngest daughter. I also spent time with Hilda Little, Louise’s eldest daughter. More than anything Hilda wanted her mother’s story told. She shared many memories and family papers to start the process of answering the questions about Louise’s life.

We pieced together Louise’s story. I spoke to Hilda on the telephone most weeks for a long time. They were long conversations. Hilda was able to read the first drafts of chapters of the book and make changes. Sadly…

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