Welcome!
For as long as I can remember, I have loved books! My father, a very wise, talented, resourceful, and forward-thinking man, was not a highly skilled reader. Thus, he understood the need for my siblings and me to become proficient in reading. “Reading can take you places, little girl,” he told me when I was just five years old. The start of my schooling opened me to the magic of libraries and more books than my mind could imagine and my little arms could carry. I would rush through reading as many books as I could in a day to ensure I could read more titles the next day, and the next, and the next. But the older I got,
the more I realized that most books available to me did not feature characters like me. The characters did not look like me, live like me, or feel like me. Rarely did any story line come close to my reality. Books and other media that provided concrete examples of positive Black and female role models and pathways to success for people like me were often limited in number or completely unavailable. I found significant works by Black authors helped me understand my Blackness, girlhood, womanhood, and the impact of societal stereotypes on my life. These narratives became part of the road map that helped me understand my history, our country’s history, my present, and my potential. This is a growth process every child can and should experience, ideally with the support of caring and informed educators. Literature opens the door to understanding the human experience, especially those experiences that reflect our lives, our realities. Through literature we can see authentic and aspirational representations of ourselves, understand our self-worth, and know the power of belonging we all crave. Books also often introduce us to characters who are different from us with experiences beyond our realities and imaginations, allowing us to see the world from new perspectives. Such understandings are necessary for all children, as they are critical to the development of a global and well-rounded citizenry.
4 • Rising Voices: Celebrating Girls of Color
4 Rising Voices | Celebrating Girls of Color
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs