Write for Justice
Only 46% of children's books with Black main characters were written by Black authors.
DIVERSE AUTHORS ARE NEEDED
We encourage and support emerging BIPOC writers of all ages to share their stories in children’s books.
By providing opportunities for storytelling, we preserve the cultural history of the African Diaspora and increase the percentage of culturally authentic books.
And not only are children more likely to read books that represent their culture and heritage, but their comprehension improves as well.
Representation promotes literacy and encourages youth to dream big and picture themselves as anything they want to be.
Youth STORIES
With only 32% of Black fourth-graders proficient in reading, literacy is a key issue to address in order to equip and train future leaders. Our youth writing competition seeks to increase literacy while developing cultural awareness and leadership.
Youth that experience art and humanities opportunities demonstrate improved reading, verbal, math, and problem-solving skills for success in school and later in life. These skills are a central component of multicultural understanding and acceptance.
Adult STORIES
Our adult writing competition combines the arts and culture for meaningful community engagement. It acts to usher in new futures by preserving and sharing the stories of people of African descent, fostering absent narratives, and addressing the need for diverse authors in the Black community.
Our goal with the writing contest is to inspire, equip and train BIPOC adult literary artists to use the arts as a strategic tool for community building and social change advocacy.
Our Youth Anthology inspires youth to lead change by lifting their voices for justice. Writing is a vehicle for achieving this goal. It also provides youth with a safe place to share about their trauma and pain while finding peace and healing.
