A new picture book by hip-hop group the Alphabet Rockers, based on a song from their latest Grammy-nominated album, reminds kids that they always belong and encourages them to celebrate themselves, support each other across differences, and speak out against injustice.
Attempts to ban children’s and young adult books with characters who are LGBTQ or people of color are sadly nothing new. Such efforts have risen sharply this year, however, and more than 700 organizations and individuals have signed a statement condemning such attacks on children’s education.
Today is Giving Tuesday, but I’m not going to ask you to give to any particular organizations. (There are any number of good ones to support with your time and/or money.) Instead, I’ll share some of the ways my spouse and I have tried to show our son the importance of giving.
Today marks the Transgender Day of Remembrance, a time to honor the lives of those who died because of anti-transgender hatred or prejudice. I wish all of my transgender friends and readers love and support on this day of mourning. May those of us who are cisgender rededicate ourselves to safety, support, equality, and justice for transgender people.
Imagine: U.S. civics lessons reframed as a call to action, set to rap, R&B, and pop music sung by some of today’s top artists, and skillfully animated, in a show created by Emmy Award winner (and lesbian mom) Chris Nee, with a theme song by Grammy Award winner (and bisexual mom) Meshell Ndegeocello, and an episode featuring Grammy Award winner (and lesbian mom) Brandi Carlile. Happy July 4, everyone—this thing exists! Listen to Carlile’s song here and learn how to catch the rest of this great new show.
A week after two county commissioners asked a local Pennsylvania library to remove a Pride Month display of children’s books from its children’s wing, community members showed overwhelming support of the display at a county meeting.
Two of the three commissioners in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, have asked a local library to remove from the children’s wing a Pride Month display featuring several LGBTQ-inclusive picture books. Many others in the community are rallying in support of the books.
Today, May 17, is the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia (IDAHOTB). Why this date? And what two other key events in the history of civil rights also happened on this day?
Today is Earth Day, and yes, there’s a queer-inclusive kids’ book for that! Brand-new this month, this middle grade book showcases the work of 25 young female and nonbinary activists from around the world, all on the front lines of fighting for our planet.
Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man, was shot by a White police officer during a traffic stop in Minnesota this past Sunday. Regardless of whether this was an intentional or accidental shooting, Wright’s is another Black life lost in a country where Black people are three times more likely than White people to be killed by police. My fellow White people—this is yet another tragic reminder that racism remains for us to fix.
