Posts Tagged diversity

Hiroshima Through the Eyes of a Japanese Girl

By on September 25, 2017   /   Author Interviews, For Librarians  

As a teacher, (and author of Under Siege!) I find books to be a great source of information and an intimate connection to a subject. The subject of historical fiction is one dear to my heart. In a previous Mixed-Up Files post, I talked about using historical fiction in the classroom and how it brings life to an era long-ago. The very nature of historical fiction opens doors for discussion and understanding.

When students study history, we want them to understand the big concept, not just facts and dates. We want them to see the humanity and feel the emotion that was part of an event.

In my interview with author Kathleen Burkinshaw, author of The Last Cherry Blossom, we transport back in time to Hiroshima where we experience the elements of humanity and emotion through the eyes of a Japanese girl.

Please tell us about The Last Cherry Blossom and how you came to write it?

Author Kathleen Burkinshaw

When my daughter was in seventh grade, she came home from school very upset. They were wrapping up WWII in their history class, and she had overheard some students talking about the ‘cool’ mushroom cloud picture. She asked me if I could visit her class and talk about the people under those famous mushroom clouds, people like her Grandma.

I had never discussed my mother’s life in Hiroshima during WWII. My mother was a very private person and she also didn’t want attention drawn to herself. But after my daughter’s request she gave me her consent. She bravely shared more memories of the most horrific day of her life. Memories that she had locked away in her heart because they had been too painful to discuss.

The main reason, my mother agreed (aside from the fact her granddaughter asked her), was that she knew students in seventh grade would be around the same age she was when the bomb dropped. She was 12-years-old. She hoped that students could relate to her story and by sharing her experience, these future voters would realize that the use of nuclear weapons against any country or people, for any reason, should never be repeated.

I received requests to visit other schools the following year. I began to write about my mom and August 6th after teachers requested a book to complement their curriculum.

I told my mom about this request. Later that week, she sent me a copy of her most treasured photo from her childhood. It is the one of her and her Papa (which I’m so grateful that Sky Pony placed it in my Afterword). When I looked at the photo which I remembered from my childhood because it always had a place of honor in our home; I realized there was more to her life than just war and death, she had loving memories as well.

That’s when I knew I needed to start the book months before the bomb. I wanted to show the culture, the mindset, and the daily life in Japan during the war. The main character, Yuriko is trying to figure things out in her own life, dealing with family issues, school, and then dealing with heartbreak. Yet, she finds strength she never thought she had that leads her to a new hopeful beginning. I intended to give the reader the view of the last year of WWII through the eyes of a 12-year-old Japanese girl-something that has not been done before.

How is Hiroshima’s history present in the story?

I used information that my mother gave me about her childhood as well as researching about Hiroshima and Japan during the war. (This was not an easy feat to find information written in English). The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum website had some great information.

My family and I visited Hiroshima for the first time in July 2015. Sadly, we went to honor my mom at the Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for Atomic Bomb Victims. My mom passed away in January of 2015(but she did see the publishing contract and read one of my drafts). I met with some librarians at the Memorial Hall and learned that my mom lived less than two miles away from the epicenter! She had described it as a lot further away, so it was miraculous she survived and lived a healthy 82 years, (except her last few months)! I researched information by viewing the exhibits in the Hiroshima National Peace Museum. Standing on the same spot where my mother had witnessed so much horror and death, broke my heart and I cried through most of the museum. It just made me want to hug my 12-year-old mother, tell her she will have incredible strength, and find hope again.

Lastly, the fact that my mother’s Papa had his own newspaper company in Hiroshima, I could use the information that I had found to give a glimpse into the world and set the tone to the story by what everyday citizens were reading in newspapers and listening to on the radio. In this way, I could give the emotional impact that two paragraphs and a picture in a text book cannot do.

How much of the story is historical fact and how much of the story is fictional?

I would say that 75% of the book is fact either from my mother’s life or the history in Hiroshima and Japan during WWII that I gleaned from my research.

The timeline for events in the main character, Yuriko’s family life is probably the biggest section of fiction because I had to have it fit in the one-year time span. Some of the conversations and smaller side events were also fictionalized.

However, the description of August 6th is taken from my mom’s account of that day. So much so that when I read excerpts, I can’t help but tear up because I can still hear my mom telling me and crying as if it just happened all over again.

What will students learn from reading The Last Cherry Blossom that will help them relate to this time in history?

Students will learn that there is always another side. My hope is not only to convey the message that nuclear weapons should never be used again; but to also reveal that the children in Japan (like my mother) had the same love for family, fear of what could happen to them, and hopes for peace as the Allied children had. I want the students to walk away knowing that the ones we may think are our “enemy” are not always so different from ourselves. A message, I feel needs to be heard now more than ever.

A discussion guide is available on Kathleen Burkinshaw’s website: http://www.kathleenburkinshaw.com

 

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Writing While White

By on September 11, 2017   /   Diversity, For Writers, Writing  

I am a white author. When I write about social justice online, I use phrases like “fellow white people” or “we white women.” I do this intentionally. And yes, like @helloalegria says in the tweet above, it was weird and uncomfortable at first. But you know what? The more I used language that was precise, the easier it got. Plus I began to have much more productive conversations online about dismantling racism and white supremacy.

What does this have to do with middle grade books?

As a white author who has grown up with white privilege and who has benefited from the racism inherent in most (all?) American institutions, I am accustomed to being the “norm” or the “default.” If I read a book, where a character is described as having brown, curly hair (like for example Hermione Granger), I will mostly likely assume that the character is also white.

Because I am “used to being the default definition of ‘people’” as @helloalegria says, I also need to be aware of how I might perpetuate the white default definition of ‘people’ in my books.

This happens if I make a point of describing the skin tone or ethnicity of characters of color but don’t describe the skin tone or family background of light-skinned characters. Doing this makes anyone who is not white into “the other.” And that, fellow white authors, no matter your intentions, is white supremacy at work.

Martha Brockenbrough is a white author who was very intentional in her approach to writing about race in the novel The Game of Love and Death. I asked her to share with us what she was thinking during the process. Here’s what she said:

In college I learned about “marked” language. This was language that assumed male as the standard, and it’s why we say things like “female lawyer” and “male nurse.” (Nurses are stereotypically female, so “male nurse” even works as a punchline.)

With The Game of Love and Death, I didn’t want to center whiteness, and particularly not in the chapters told from the viewpoint of Flora, who is a Black pilot. Where race is observed, blackness is the default. So race is only seen when it is not Black. 

This is part of the empathy we need to cultivate when we are writers. To authentically inhabit characters and understand how their lives feel given our power structures, which favor white people, men, and white men in particular. 

Language is powerful. We build the world with it in so many ways, and as writers, we have the opportunity to build worlds that change the way readers think. And this is what art is supposed to do. It’s supposed to make us feel, and as we process those feelings, we develop a point of view on what it means to be alive.

I love what Martha is saying here. We owe it to our readers—all of our readers—to consider the world from their point-of-view, and to do that, we white writers must be willing to consider that our own point-of-view should not be the “norm” or “default” way to the see the world.

*The title of this post — “Writing While White” — is a shout-out to a blog that I highly recommend called “Reading While White.” Definitely check it out!

** After writing this post, I found another excellent post of the same title by Marianne Modica. Click here to read it.

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Indie Spotlight: Iseeme African American Children’s Bookstore, University City, MO

By on August 30, 2017   /   independent bookstores, Indie Spotlight  

We’re talking today with Jeff Blair , so-owner with his wife Pamela of a unique children’s bookstore emphasizing African American heritage and culture.  Learn here how they’ve made their vision a reality.

MUF:There’s a lot of attention being paid lately to the need for children to see themselves in the books they read. You reflect that in the very title of your shop, which is dedicated to bringing positive books about African American people and culture to young readers. Tell us a bit about how you got started in this business.
Jeff: : We are parents of four lovely children; Jeff Jr., Naomi, Sarah, & Ezra. Together, we have created EyeSeeMe based on our years of experience raising four high achieving children. Our children have been tested in gifted programs; participated in leadership conferences; selected for public speaking engagements. Jeff Jr. started college at 15 years old, has a Masters Degree from Rutgers University, and is currently applying to medical School. My 3 youngest all just attend Washington University in Saint Louis. Many ask, how did we do it?
Our children were always inquisitive. After history class they would often run home and recite the many stories they learned about the great men and women of the past. But, they often seemed to have a presumption that their own heritage began at slavery. Yet, we could tell that they yearned for historical stories that included themselves as heroes, victors, founders, creators, and contributors to society. There yearning forced us to do our own research and make an effort to find books and stories about Black contributions to society.
We knew that if we could instill within our children a pride in their heritage and awareness of the great accomplishments of their forefathers that this would be the foundation that would allow them to grow into their full potential. (This has been confirmed by some recent research: Read Here)
As we began to explore our vast heritage together as a family, we could see the excitement in our children’s souls as they embraced their nearly lost legacy. This excitement for learning transferred into their studies.
As our children grew we saw them approach school with purpose and a clear understanding that they are truly “standing on the shoulders of giants” and have a responsibility to do their best in everything that they do. Others noticed their achievements and upon inquiry we shared our games and products with them as well. Over the years we have had numerous responses from parents and teachers alike, that our products have been instrumental in helping children realize their full potential by seeing themselves in history.
Two years ago my wife and I created EyeSeeMe African American Children’s Bookstore in order to help bridge the cultural divide, so that African American children can benefit from exposure to literature that respectfully mirrors themselves, their culture and their families. EyeSeeMe, is the only children’s bookstore devoted exclusively to promoting positive African American Images and African American History while advocating for Academic Excellence. We too believe that all children can learn, regardless of their socioeconomic status, race, or gender. We believe that the African American achievement gap can be eliminated. More importantly we believe that competent, caring, and properly supported teachers and parents are essential to student learning. EyeseeMe is here to help provide that support.
MUF: There may not be enough books published by or about about African Americans, but there certainly are a lot of really good ones, and you seem to carry them all! What are some favorite titles, new or old, fiction or nonfiction, that you find yourself recommending to middle-graders these days?
Jeff: Wow, this is a tough question because we have many favorites. But a few that come to mind: Brown Girl Dreaming by Jaqueline Woodson, Copper Sun by Sharon Draper, Crossover by Kwame Alexander, Eddie Red Undercover Series by Marcia Wells, One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia, The Kidnapped Prince: The Life of Olaudah Equiano by Ann Cameron, and The Clone Codes Series by the McKissacks.
MUF:What kinds of books would you like to see more of?
Jeff: We would like to see more books written of adventure stories of PreColonial Africa, such as the stories of Mansa Musa, the Moors, and the Israelites in Africa.
MUF: Are you hoping children (and their adults) from other groups will be drawn to your shop as a place to learn about African American life and history, too?
Jeff: Absolutely! When we first started Eyeseeme we were focused solely on ensuring that African Americans saw themselves in the books that they read. But, we soon realized that ALL Children (and their parents and teachers) need an accurate and positive portrayal of African Americans and their contributions to society and the world. Otherwise people can draw false conclusions about Black people and can fall prey to stereotyping and prejudice.

MUF: Please tell us about some of the educational materials and activities you have developed for your store. I notice on your website that your flashcards on African American heroes are sold out!
Jeff: Yes, in addition to books we also carry games, flash cards, dolls and toys that all support our mission of promoting literacy and academic excellence, positive African American Images, and African American History.
MUF: Please tell us about BooksandBros. Any more activities planned for the future that would be of special interest to ages 8-12? Something for girls?
Writing workshops to get some more African American writers started?
Jeff: Check out a video about Books N Bros from HEC-TV, Higher Education Channel: https://youtu.be/9sKuaeI4SbI Moreover, we host a Boys STEM Club called Circle of Excellence. We are in the process of launching additional afterschool/weekend reading and history classes for Middle School students.
MUF: If a family from out of town visited your store, would there be family-friendly places nearby where they could get a snack or meal after shopping? And if they could stay awhile, are there some unique sites or activities nearby that they shouldn’t miss?
Jeff: Certainly, we are located in University City, which is the central crossroads in the Saint Louis region. We specifically chose University City as the home for Eyeseeme for this reason. It is home to the Delmar Loop, an entertainment, cultural and restaurant district. Upon visiting Saint Louis I would suggest checking out the Missouri History Museum located in Forest Park; the Old Historic Court House, home of the famous Dred Scott case, and the Griot Museum of Black History.

Thanks, Jeff and Pamela, for creating this store and sharing its story with us.  Readers, have any of you visited this shop?  Not yet?

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