Submitted by Linnea Swenson Tellekson:
The Racial Justice Network’s Education Committee collaborates with the We Win Institute to provide beautiful books to Black children through We Win When We Read (and any other children who show up). For the rest of July, the Wild Rumpus Book Store in Linden Hills Minneapolis is making it really easy for you to provide children and youth with a book by and about people who look like them. Here’s a link to the site: https://www.wildrumpusbooks.com/WeWinWhenWeRead
The incredible power of seeing myself represented in the spotlight is something I have taken for granted as a White person. I’ve grown up and been surrounded by books and media by and about White people. One year the theme was She Speaks Her Truth for the National Summit for Courageous Conversations about Race. Except for the first, short speech when Glenn Singleton announced the theme, every single speaker, break-out leader, and entertainer was a woman. I realized by about the second day that never before in my life had I experienced one woman after another on stage, leading and teaching. It was an incredibly empowering and exciting experience for me. I didn’t share the race of any, but their womanhood prevailed. It gave me a visceral and personal understanding of the importance of having a curriculum that reflects the students.
Last summer for the Juneteenth celebration in North Minneapolis, we launched the We Win When We Read initiative. Since then, the Racial Justice Network Education Committee has given away over 2000 books at various events. The children and youth love the books, and it’s wonderful to be able to provide them stories of interest to develop their love of reading.
Please click the link and read more about We Win When We Read by Titilayo Bediako. Take a look at the wish list and buy some books! Your donation will be picked up at the end of the month. All you have to do is choose which book/books to buy! Here’s a link to the site: WeWinWhenWeRead WISH LIST