CROWN THE WRITER SPREADS JOY BY GIVING HER BOOKS AWAY By T. Aaron Cisco
In the hands of a writer, art and activism blend in powerful ways, impacting the hearts and minds of millions of readers. Authors are more than just catalysts for change. The extent and intent of their efforts don’t end with the release of their work. They speak out and build up. They debate and demonstrate. They lobby and petition for their cause, as much and more so than anyone else with a passion for equity, equality and justice for all.
Continuing in the tradition of authors taking action is local author, Crown Shepherd, who has passed out free copies of her first book, Black Boy, Black Boy , at demonstrations, protests, festivals and community gatherings in the wake of George Floyd’s murder. Written under the pen name Crown the Writer, Shepherd’s mission is clear: She aims to uplift Minnesota’s Black community amid the turmoil of the last year-and-a-half.
An illustrated children’s book, Black Boy, Black Boy , inspires Black young ones to see a bright future in front of them – one in which they can be anything they want, whether a doctor, an astronaut or the President of the United States.
The following sections are excerpted from a conversation Shepherd had with us about her work, her campaign to teach kids to see a path without barriers and how other independent authors can seek a publishing path that works for them. Visit RacismUnveiled.org to read the complete text. With a title like Black Boy, Black Boy , clearly this is a book that’s intended for a specific audience underrepresented in the marketplace. However, the message of the book is universal. At the protests and demonstrations, have you seen the attention for the book kind of going beyond little Black boys?
Crown Shepherd (a.k.a. Crown the Writer): Yeah, I definitely have. The families that intentionally buy the book from me [are] a blessing, and I’ve met a lot of little white boys who have come back to talk to me about the book, saying it’s their favorite book. And I think it’s beautiful, because like you said, it’s geared towards Black boys, but it is a universal message that everybody, especially white children need to hear, because they need to also know that Black people can be in these roles, but you will potentially see a Black doctor, or an astronaut, and we need to normalize these things. So yeah, it has moved over universally to non-Black children also loving the book.
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