Pronouns are one of the first ways that small children are taught to gender themselves and others. As a child grows within the womb, they are introduced to our language and how we communicate in our world, including how they are spoken about. At first glance this can seem simple …
In PART 1 OF THIS SERIES, I explored how pronouns are one of the first ways children gender themselves and others. From an early age, many LGBTQI2S+ people understand the power of language and the impact it can have. This is why in my gender work, the Pronoun Circle is …
An example of why it’s so important to understand the power of language and how we use it, especially in books for children. For context, see the previous two posts, Part 1 and Part 2. Prior to this blog series on language acquisition and gender, I haven’t written a blog …
Context is Everything I was plagiarized twice in the same year by the same community. It was hard to wrap my brain around at first. After all, this is a community I felt some connection to. These were people I imagine to be well-intentioned parents and professionals. But now there …
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 …
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 …
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 …
The act of telling our own stories is a radical act. I continue to stand humbled by the power of creativity and its ability to heal us and change the world we live in. It’s with a sense of urgency that creativity flows through me these days. Sometimes it feels …
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 …
Mother, America America. Like my mother I can never be fully separated from you. Born here. This is where I learned to breathe, to walk the earth, love the people. I know the seasons and the sun, the way the clouds come and where the winds go. American. You named …
