 How do you begin to have a diverse, critical conversation about race?
Consider a text set. A text set is a collection of related texts organized around a unit topic, theme, concept, or idea. The set is focused on an anchor text which has a rich discussion points. Art, photos songs, poems, videos and other materials can also be added to the text set. Materials can be differentiated, at different reading levels to include more student participation. Using a text set on a topic creates an environment where multiple perspectives can be included to have a deeper richer conversation.
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Let’s talk about voting rights! With the Senate’s failure to pass voting rights protections, we really wanted to post resources to relay the historical and everyday significance voting has in our lives. There is a history of voter suppression in the United States that progresses with every advancement made in diversifying American society. Here are books to help youth be a part of the conversation. We Shall Overcome! Tyner. (2021). Black voter suppression : the fight for the right to vote. Lerner Publications. Upper elementary- high school Allen, & ReferencePoint Press. (2020). Election manipulation : is America's voting system secure? ReferencePoint Press. Middle grade-high school Jenkins, Lacker, Kati, illustrator, & Jones, Martha S., writer of foreword. (2020). Drawing the vote : an illustrated guide to voting in America. Abrams ComicArts. Middle grade-high school That’s the problem with Norris Kaplan, the main character in the ‘Field Guide to The North American Teenager’.
Norris, a Black French-speaking Haitian Canadian, moves with his Mom to Austin, Texas where she has accepted a position as faculty at the University of Texas at Austin. With brutal quips, he journals his angst in a notebook, as a field guide, detailing scathing, sarcastic narratives of the typical high school Southern cliques. Not only is he dealing with his immigrant status at his new school, but he is also harboring unattended feelings regarding his parent’s divorce and feeling cast aside as his dad remarries and starts a new family. This all inevitably leads to Norris looking within for an honest look at learning to cope with change. With the feel of many teen movie dramas, author Ben Philippe, does an amazing job centering the rarely seen, young Black male learning to deal with the typical growing pains of being a teenager. The character development of Norris Kaplan is very relatable to those attending suburban schools and navigating where they fit into life, much less high school. Veteran teachers who use picture books in classroom have observed the following:
-Captures visual learners -Create mental models and build new schema -A read-aloud is still engaging to secondary students -Includes reluctant readers in learning and conversion -Can build community on tough topics -Understand the essence of empathy -Connect colors to feelings -Identify and relate to diverse cultures -Runaway, The Daring Escape of Ona Judge by Ray Anthony Shapard -The Bell Rang by James E. Ransome Runaway is a book that can be used as a hook to begin a lesson that will address the poetic device of repetition, African-American Vernacular English, colorism, American gentry, Hercules, founders of American government, enslavement as possession, enslaved people who ran away, fugitive enslavement, free states, and settlements. We highly recommend the following two books when addressing U.S. History and enslavement for Social Studies and English/Language Arts classrooms. The Bell Rang is a rhythmic story told in stanzas sharing a realistic portrayal of enslaved circumstances of escaping to freedom. Mr. Ray Anthony Shepard will be a featured guest interview. Join us this Saturday at 12pm as We Are Here Lit! features our interview with acclaimed Author, Historian, and Educator Ray Anthony Shepard. An insightful journey, Mr. Shepard will share his literacy story, his path as an Educator to a noted Author sharing the importance critical literacy plays in telling African-American historical narratives. You can watch or listen to the interview on all our platforms (Youtube, Anchor Podcast, Spotify, and the website weareherelit.org)  I recently finished the middle-grade book ‘Take Back the Block’ by Chrystal D. Giles and the picture book ‘Alejandria Fights Back! ¡La Lucha de Alejandria!’ by by Leticia Hernández-Linares, The Rise-Home Stories Project, Robert Liu-Trujillo , and Carla España (Translator) and wanted to put some additional books to support this topic.
‘Take Back the Block’ features the protagonist, middle schooler, Wes Henderson, along with his community dealing with a real estate developer offering to buy the neighborhood where Wes grew up. Black and Latinx youth advocacy and community are involved in both books as they also use their local library to source information to advocate for their communities. Also, included are the following titles to learn and discuss this topic from elementary through high school: -Everything Naomi Loved by Kate Yamasaki and Ian Lendler (elementary) -Like Home by Louisa Onome (middle/high school) -Halsey Street by Naima Coste (middle/high school) Included in the Linktree (in bio) are additional lesson plans, video clips explaining gentrification, and a Boyz N The Hood clip for context geared towards a high school student prompt. Veteran teachers who use picture books in classroom have observed the following:
-Captures visual learners -Create mental models and build new schema -A read-aloud is still engaging to secondary students -Includes reluctant readers in learning and conversion -Can build community on tough topics -Understand the essence of empathy -Connect colors to feelings -Identify and relate to diverse cultures -Runaway, The Daring Escape of Ona Judge by Ray Anthony Shapard -The Bell Rang by James E. Ransome Runaway is a book that can be used as a hook to begin a lesson that will address the poetic device of repetition, African-American Vernacular English, colorism, American gentry, Hercules, founders of American government, enslavement as possession, enslaved people who ran away, fugitive enslavement, free states, and settlements. We highly recommend the following two books when addressing U.S. History and enslavement for Social Studies and English/Language Arts classrooms. The Bell Rang is a rhythmic story told in stanzas sharing a realistic portrayal of enslaved circumstances of escaping to freedom. Mr. Ray Anthony Shepard will be a featured guest interview. Join us this Saturday at 12pm as We Are Here Lit! features our interview with acclaimed Author, Historian, and Educator Ray Anthony Shepard. An insightful journey, Mr. Shepard will share his literacy story, his path as an Educator to a noted Author sharing the importance critical literacy plays in telling African-American historical narratives. You can watch or listen to the interview on all our platforms (Youtube, Anchor Podcast, Spotify, and the website (weareherelit.org) The characters in this post are all from books whose Black males protagonists are navigating predominately White school spaces.
Oftentimes, being Black in these spaces leaves students feeling isolated, othered, and lacking a sense of belonging. The following middle-grade and young adult titles provide a mirror and a window to diversity, inclusion, resilience, and allyship. Titles: Black Boy, White School, from Cleveland's own Brian F. Walker #CLE Black, Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes New Kid & Class Act from Jerry Craft Dear Martin by Nic Stone A Love-Hate Thing by Whitney D. Grandison Beat: Juice WRLD Black & White  If Black boys and young Black men don't see themselves creatively, how can they develop confidence and agency to build dreams?
If other races and ethnicities of children don't see Black boys and young Black men as main characters and superheroes in books and comics, how will they view and treat Black boys and young men? Representation matters. Books and graphic novels about superheroes are available at your library and local book stores! Are you thinking about writing differently this year for your classroom or non-profit? This book uses writing as a tool to establish voice, nurture resilience and construct meaning of literature. Tatum's book provides writing samples, graphic organizers, a timeline of Black male writers and other practical strategies to support young Black males as writers. #weareherelit #blackboysarelit #blackboysread #blackboyswrite #teachers #K12 #languagearts #communityirganizations #blackauthors  |
AuthorSWE ARE HERE will provide you book reviews, discussions, news, and programming about literature and literacy by and about Black males. This site will also feature vlog conversations on topics related to the promoting literacy and voice for Black boys and young men. Archives
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