My Story, Your Story, Their Story, Who Gets to Tell It?

First Voice/Own Voice and Indigenous, POC, LGBTQI Children’s Books

My Story I have been involved in the children’s book industry for over 20 years. I joke that they accidentally let me in. Indeed, something must have been going on…stars momentarily aligned, portals briefly opened… because not only did I get “in,” but my first book, Prietita and the Ghost …

What Keeps Me Strong in These Days – Checking IN and Blessings OUT

Children's Books as a Personal Practice

These days, these days, these days. Everything changing. So much discomfort. Everywhere hope and courage. So much waking up as the children take to the streets speaking truth OUT loud. So much more waiting in the wings. These days, I close much of my correspondence with “take good care through …

Self-Publishing Journeys

School of the Free Mind Student Spotlight: Sandra Gonzalez, Skillful & Soulful Press

When Matthew and I changed the format of our School to be independent study as well as more financially accessible, our hope was that folks would take full advantage of all the numerous materials to support them and their publishing endeavors. Publishing a children’s book, whether through traditional means or …

Releasing for President’s Day: When a Bully is President: Truth and Creativity for Oppressive Times

Seeding the journey out

Today is the official release of my new children’s book, When a Bully is President: Truth and Creativity for Oppressive Times. Decolonization. De-escalation. Disengagement. True power. Resilience. Creative force. Equity. Inner authority. Self-care. Community respect. Self love. I didn’t pause. I sat down and wrote the truth book as soon …

Update on When a Bully Is President, Truth and Creativity for Oppressive Times

UPDATE 2017: As I had hoped my IndieGoGo campaign and private contributions helped jump start some of the big shifts we’re making in 2017: School of the Free Mind is now expanded and independent study Our free mentorship program will have its first meeting at the end of January Reflection …

School of the Free Mind Goes Independent

Dreams, Rain and Waking Up in 2017

Right now, the last 3 ½ years feel more like a dream than anything else.  Matthew and I dropped into an engaged, active, productive, on task mode with materials and community. Creating School of the Free Mind was a fantastic experience that rose from our desire to share everything we …

When a Bully is President/Truth and Creativity for Oppressive Times

A children’s book to support kids and adults in the wake of the 2016 US election. The book can be used as a way to talk about oppression in society or as a straight up tool to talk about the current political climate and the next 4 years with your …

The Case of the Missing Books/10 years of data

#ownvoices in Children’s Books: A State of Emergency/ Blog Series 1 of 3

The graph below shows the children’s books that were missing by POC and Indigenous people in the children’s book industry over the last 10 years. That is if we were creating an equitable number of books per year to white Americans. It can be challenging to wrap our minds around …

What I Learned from 3 Years of Teaching How to Make Children’s Books

#ownvoices in Children’s Books: A State of Emergency/ Blog Series 2 of 3

I’m no stranger to the inequities that exist for People of Color, Indigenous and Queer authors and artists. I’ve been teaching and lecturing about it and its impact for 20 years in the children’s book industry. I speak from knowing and teach from understanding on a personal level. So why …

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