A student-led march from South Orange to Maplewood's Village Hall includes a moment of silence honoring George Floyd. 6/5/20 (Photo by Vicky Shuster)

As protests in response to the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis spread across the U.S and worldwide, demonstrators—many of them young people—have chanted "Black Lives Matter," called for justice reform, and demanded an end to police brutality.

To help families and educators discuss racial injustice and ongoing protests, members of the children's book community organized the #KidLitRally4BlackLives on Thursday, June 4. The two-hour virtual event, led by acclaimed authors, Kwame Alexander, Jacqueline Woodson, and Jason Reynolds, was sponsored by The Brown Bookshelf, an online resource promoting black children's books and their creators. The rally featured music, poetry, and remarks from some 25 speakers, with the first hour dedicated to children in grades K-12, and the second aimed at parents, librarians, and teachers. The event trended on social media, and drew a widespread audience of 14,000 viewers.

"This is not a meeting; this is not a pleasant get-together or gathering; this is not a conference," organizer, poet, and award-winning author Kwame Alexander declared at the start. "This is a roll of thunder, this is a dreaming brown girl, rhyme schemers, and all-American boys protesting somewhere in the darkness, using their words to protest racism, to protest white supremacy, to protest police brutality and its devastating impact upon black America, upon America. This is a call of action," said Alexander. "Expect a lot of love, tough love. Expect us to answer some questions that our children have undoubtedly been asking. Expect us to remind our children that they inherited this world, and it is on us to prepare them to make it new."

Panelists during the #KidLitRally4BlackLives held on Thursday June 4, 2020.

I think the presenters delivered on Alexander's promise. The topics broached—privilege, blatant prejudice, the enduring marks of slavery on American society—might upset some and touch raw wounds for others. But the speakers also celebrated and uplifted young people of different races and cultures - especially Black children—reminding them that their hopes, beauty, joy, the fullness of experiences do indeed matter.

Here are some takeaways from this event that encourage inclusive participation, civic engagement, education, and sustainable paths forward amidst these turbulent times.

Learn from our history

Recalling the protests of her childhood, Jacqueline Woodson said emphasized that young people have often been at the heart of protests. Students marched against school segregation in Albany, Georgia, during the 1960s, just as youth filled the streets in the worldwide Student Strike for Climate Change of 2019. When it comes to protests and ending systemic racial injustice in this country, much work remains, but history provides lessons and inspiration.

Woodson, a New York Times bestselling author, spoke of the August 1963 March on Washington, when some 250,000 gathered at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. to denounce the profoundly unequal status of Blacks living in the United States a century after emancipation. Dr. Martin Luther King delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech with words that still echo in today's protest:

"No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until 'justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.'"

"...even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up, live out the true meaning of its creed:" 'we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

Gene Luen Yang, a 2016 MacArthur Foundation Fellow, writer, and creator of graphic novels, expressed his gratitude for the Civil Rights Movement. "Asian American Civil rights is built on a foundation of Black courage, Black ideas, and Black blood," he said. "The 1965 Voting Rights Act was fought for and won by Black Civil Rights activists…Without this, immigrant parents, our parents would not have been able to gain a political foothold."

"The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965… did away with racist, anti-Asian immigration bans that had been in place for decades. Let's honor the sacrifices that others have made on our behalf. Let's say it with our words and our actions, with our time and our money, that Black Lives Matter."

Show solidarity

Supporting a more just society looks different for each of us. For some, it may mean listening and acting as a steadfast ally.

Speaking to Latinx youth whose families come from Latin America and the Spanish-speaking Caribbean, National Book Award winner Elizabeth Acevedo said they should learn to show solidarity, especially at this time. "Sometimes that might mean addressing hurtful comments that our loved ones make that are ignorant, prejudiced," she said. "My job as a good friend and ally is to be a liaison between what my parents do not know, and what I am learning."

Young adult novelist Kit Wilson spoke passionately about recognizing one's white privilege. "[T]he time has come," she said. "The time is past due to ditch our discomfort. To squash our silence because the privilege we possess is the biggest weapon in our arsenal, and we must wield it every way we can to listen and learn. To boost and support, to stand in solidarity with those who have been fighting this fight all along because Black Lives Matter."

Irish author Sarah Crossan also spoke to white children about how to be a better ally. "Being a good ally means tough conversations with family and friends," said Crossan, who is teaching her seven-year-old daughter to respect people with beliefs and cultural backgrounds different from her own. She added, "Read shelves of diverse books so that you can begin to unlearn things that you didn't even realize you believed about people who don't look like you."

Black Lives Matter protest in Times Square, New York City on June 7 2020. Photo licensed under Creative Commons license Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)

Talk about racial injustice

Conversations about today's unrest can be difficult. Media coverage shows peaceful rallies with participants honoring George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tamir Rice, Micheal Brown Jr., and many others killed by police. Some officers - as in Flint, Michigan - marched and knelt alongside protesters. But images of vandalized stores and community businesses can undermine protest goals of unity and meaningful, lasting change. How we discuss these issues as families, friends, and communities is critical if we are to learn, grow, and heal as a nation.

"Parents, please be truthful when explaining the protests and the battle for equality and civil rights that African Americans have been in engaged in since the end of the Civil War. Share stories and biographies with your children that highlight not only the struggle of African Americans, but also stories that celebrate their humanity," said award-winning author and illustrator Eric Velasquez.

"Black Lives Matter" does not mean that all lives do not matter, in the same way that "Save the Whales" does not mean that dolphins do not deserve to live," said Author Jerry Craft, winner of 2020 John Newberry medal. He addressed misplaced negativity sometimes associated with the movement. "But that mentality makes it easy for you to continue not to care."

Acclaimed author and poet, Jason Reynolds urged people to resist settling into complacency or rushing to judgment in complex discussions about race and civic disobedience.

"Young people. I know it is complicated. Parents of young people, I know it is complicated. There are ways for us to not condone the things you see, and still try to be understanding. I beg of you. Crawl toward judgment. Sprint toward understanding...And I know it is frightening. It is frightening for me too. But remember, as human beings, there are natural human things that we deal with like frustration. This is what it looks like when people are not heard."

Celebrate Black Culture and History

Paula Chase, author and co-founder of the Brown Bookshelf, talked about starting the resource 13 years ago to "boldly highlight Black creatives [who are] writing and illustrating children's literature." Their goal was to ensure that "Black readers knew about books that reflected and represented them."

"...I represent our collective of nine tonight, to say something about our mission that we all thought was implicit: to ensure Black people are humanized. And we believe that the best way to do that is to highlight the entirety of the Black experience, not just our pain... What we expose our young reader to must allow Black children to see their whole selves. And kids from other races and cultures need to see Black kids centered as their whole selves," she said.

Chase challenged librarians, parents, and educators: "Be willing to diversify the books on your shelves, in your homes and classrooms, so what's reflected shows the young people you're teaching or raising that Black Lives Matter."

As #KidLitRally4BlackLives ended, Sarah Ahmed, author, educator, and daughter of Indian Muslim immigrants, talked about the historic nature of these protests across the world, and the ongoing struggle equality. Our children will ask us, 'what did you do about this?'" she said, "and as witnesses to this moment, we will have to tell them the truth."

"I hope that truth is this: that we spoke out, even when it was hard. That we used our privilege to fight. That we read. That we marched. That our actions outlived the news cycles and instagram stories. That we voted on November 3. And that we imagined together."

As a new mom, I hope that when my daughter is old enough to have these conversations, I can say the same.

Action Steps and Resources:

Check out this list of children’s books:

A reading list of children's books about race complied by Brittany Smith, a pre-kindergarten teacher in the Atlantic City School district, has gone viral on social media. Readers can consider these recommendations and support Black-owned businesses, including bookstores like Just Us, co-founded by publishers Cheryl and Wade Hudson. Based in West Orange, NJ, Just Us has published Black interest and multicultural books for children and youth for the past 30 years.https://justusbooks.com

Many resources are available about how to support racial justice and equality. Here are two links for starters:
The Brown Bookshelf - Anti-racist education, parenting, and living

Creative New Jersey - During their 10th Statewide Conversation on COVID-19 Response held WednesdayJune 10, Creative NJ convened a panel of experts and community leaders who discussed the topic: Racial Justice – What’s Happening in NJ and What You Can Do. Download the full summary and resources links here. Watch the video recording here.

#KidLitRally4BlackLives helps families and educators tackle racial injustice