Cultural Curriculum Chat with Jebeh Edmunds

Season 6 Episode #19 Empowering Education: Celebrating the Impact of Black Authors and Educators

• Jebeh Edmunds • Season 6 • Episode 19

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We celebrate nine incredible Black authors who provide essential perspectives in literature and education. They were also guests on our show! This episode highlights their contributions and emphasizes the importance of supporting these voices for a richer, more inclusive reading experience.

• Exploring the essence of representation in literature:

 
• Jamila Tompkins-Bigelow discusses cultural identity in children's books (S6Ep3) 

@authorjamilah    website: jamilahthewriter.com  


• Dr. Deonna Smith (S5Ep3) focuses on joy and equity in educational settings

 https://deonnasmithconsulting.com/



• Tiffaney Whyte (S2 Ep21) emphasizes the impact of visibility and representation

 @deavionbluinnovations

https://linktr.ee/deavionbluinnovation


• Vanessa Brantley Newton (S3 Ep 18) showcases the importance of visual storytelling

 Vanessa Brantley Newton website: https://www.vanessabrantleynewton.com/



• Silvana Spence (S 3 Ep4) highlights STEM engagement through literature 


Bella The Scientist & STEAM Squad Website:  https://bellathescientist.com/about-sil/


• Naomi O'Brien (S 2 Ep20) discusses crucial conversations around race and identity 

Read Like A Rockstar Teaching: https://readlikearockstarteaching.com/micahs-big-question/


• Kathlyn J. Kirkwood (S2 Ep8)  shares her legacy in civil rights and education 

Kathlyn J. Kirkwood's website:  https://www.kathlynjkirkwood.com/


• Jamesetta Diggs (S3 Ep 15) advocates for early literacy and cultural awareness

Jamesetta's Website:  https://sociallearningforlittles.com/


• Nita Cr

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Speaker 1:

Welcome back to the Cultural Curriculum Chat, where we celebrate voices that inspire, educate and empower. I'm your host, jeva Edmonds, and today's episode is one you don't want to miss. Black authors you should support right now we're diving into powerful works that challenge perspectives, tell untold stories and uplift the richness of Black experience across genres. Whether you're a book lover, educator or just looking to diversify your reading list, this episode will introduce you to voices that deserve a spot on your shelf. Let's turn the page and get started. I am so happy that you're here with me today. This episode is so near and dear to my heart in honor of Black History Month. Yes, you don't need laws in place to celebrate the richness of African heritage in the diaspora, all over with our resilience, our joy and our perseverance. So I'm going to highlight these phenomenal authors that I was honored to have on my show, give you some insight on the topics that we covered, and I'm going to have, in the description below, the links that link you to the podcast episode that I had them on, so you can do your binge listening to the episodes that we have here on the Cultural Curriculum Chat podcast, as well as information of each of the authors that I'm going to share and where you can directly purchase their books. No, I have not been hired by them to promote their books. I am just a super fan of their work, and I always want to share out the resources that I have for all of you, because these authors are just amazing in how they help our students, how they help us grownups and us educators do the best work that we can in order to provide cross-cultural connections with our students, as well as cross-cultural connections in our community. You don't have to be a teacher to order their books. You just need to be that champion that we all love in order to continue this inclusivity work. And so, without further ado, I have oh, my goodness, I was looking in my note today y'all, I have nine authors that I can't wait to share. So, without me rambling on and on, because you know how I like to talk, let's get to it.

Speaker 1:

Our first author I want to highlight is Jamila Tompkins Bigelow. She is an award-winning author known for her contributions to children's literature. I highlighted her book your Name is a Song. I found this book at Target, and that was about five years ago when I found her book on the shelf, and that's when I started to research her other work and she has Abdul's Story, mami's, kimar Salat and Secrets and Grounded, which she co-Pigelow. She is a artist, she is a Muslim woman. Her mother is also from a West African country and we talked about our commonalities and how my grandmother, the late Mahaja Sese Metzger, was also from Liberia and also Muslim, and talked about how culture and religion intertwine and the reason why I had her on my show was to also depict those students in our classrooms that identify as Muslim. And we also talked about her new book, sister Friend, and it was really beautiful how it was its own art piece of talking about identity with our students and also seeing that representation of themselves in books. So it was when I interviewed Jamila Tompkins-Bigelow.

Speaker 1:

It was season six, episode three, and again I really want you to dive into that episode because we had an amazing conversation of what led her to write her books, what led her to this work of activism and letting her to this work of teaching and sharing her gift. Very beautiful episode and I was a fan before I met her and I'm still a fan and I'm a fan with all these wonderful, phenomenal authors and women, but she is somebody that I really want you to listen to and explore. Dr Deanna Smith is my second featured author I'm going to share today and she's an educator and author who discussed joy and equity in education. If you follow her on Instagram, she wonderful concepts, strategies, she gives you the tea and you know I always say she gives us the truth, no chaser. And her book that she just published, rooted in Joy creating a classroom culture of equity, belonging and care. I am a huge fan of her work and in our episode, season five, episode three, we discussed what teachers can do in order to promote equity without causing harm. She does go deep into her book and I told her in the episode I was dog-earing and talking to the book like I was talking to her like mm-hmm, yeah, oh, say that again, you know, really dive in and listen to our conversation. It's like two girlfriends kiki-ing, you know, in the staff lounge and having that under tone of respect and joy in really understanding Dr Diana's purpose on how we all as a collective can do the best work, on its purpose, on how we all as a collective can do the best work. So, again, her book is Rooted in Joy Creating a Classroom Culture of Equity, belonging and Care. We need this book in our lives, educators now more than ever. So definitely go in and get that book.

Speaker 1:

Our next educator, tiffany White. She is a Brooklyn-born author and elementary school teacher. I found her online through social media again with her Diavon Blue Innovations and she has this wonderful we Wear Yellow on Mondays. It's such a motivating, positive platform and I just love her work. She's got several children's books out there. I remember reviewing her first book that was titled Nicole in the Fifth Grade Desk. I really enjoyed that story, Created more books Because I See you, I See Me A Tribute to Black Teachers and Students. All About Representation. I also reviewed that book, benjamin in the Fourth Grade, locker Alicia and the Black teachers and students all about representation. I also reviewed that book, benjamin in the Fourth Grade, locker Alicia and the Third Grade, pencil and Monday Goes Missing. She is constantly creating books that bring joy for all of our students, as well as that representation that so many of us need to see and appreciate and value. We had a wonderful, wonderful conversation, season 2, episode 21. Again, that's going to be in the show notes. Definitely check out her work. It is so fun and colorful and bright, just like her personality and definitely I'll have all the things that you can find. Then follow Miss White, because she is a force and she is going places.

Speaker 1:

My fourth author and illustrator, vanessa Brantley Newton. I have been fangirling this woman's work since I was a first grade teacher and I tell you I am not taking my platform and sitting in this hostess chair lightly. I am living my dream of meeting these authors and illustrators and I remember getting Vanessa Brantley Newton's book she illustrated One Love. It was a Bob Marley book and she was the illustrator and the colors and the depictions it was so beautiful. And she says her inspiration was looking at Ezra Jack Keats' book One Snowy Day and a lot of her artwork is in homage, but also in her own way of textiles and in color and in collages, and it just feels like you can use all of your senses with each of the pages that she has the books that I love to share. She had Just Like Me I know I did being Vanessa, which is a book about her name and the importance of her name. I'm such a big proponent and fan of finding out what names mean and that was a book that I really enjoyed reviewing.

Speaker 1:

The episode that we had our conversation was season three, episode 18. And she's got so many books that she illustrates and writes herself. Grandma's Purse Mary had a Little Glam. She was the illustrator written by Tammy Sauer Sewing Stories that she also was an illustrator of the Youngest Marcher and illustrated of that and even the King and Queen of Kindergarten. She illustrated those books alongside Derek Barnes. You know, a very acclaimed author as well. Again, award-winning author illustrator. She has such a vibrancy and joy and how she celebrates diversity, self-love and cultural pride. She talks about in our episode the Gullah Geechee people, the people that she is having lineage from, and the importance of that and keeping and cultivating the Gullah language and culture alive. And so definitely go back to that episode and support this amazing, amazing artist and I'm just so blessed to know and, yes, it's just amazing to see this work and definitely support all that she does. You can also find her on social media as well, but definitely go to the source and get her books. They are just amazing and poetic all in one. Author number five. Let's keep going.

Speaker 1:

Silvana Spence she is originally from Brazil and she and her daughters have created this community of the love of STEM and STEM heroes, her first book that she co-wrote with her daughter is Bella Goes to Outer Space. I did a review about this book and definitely I'll have that in the show notes. But when I met Miss Still but when I met Miss Still her I tell you her energy is out of this world. Okay, pun intended. It was amazing. We talked about her love of STEM. We talked about her love of sharing literacy and science with her daughters. They go to book festivals around their area in Florida every weekend and, you know, show their love of science by doing science experiments with kids that come up to their booth, show their book. They have these wonderful plushies that are representative of their characters in the book and even STEM heroes. She talks about other heroes African-American men and women in the book, and even STEM heroes. She talks about other heroes African-American men and women in the STEM field, and so you can find her work on Amazon and get those books in your hand. She's got activity books and she's doing all of this while also teaching full-time.

Speaker 1:

A lot of us, when we are thinking about authors and illustrators, a lot of us don't recognize that these teacher authors are, that they're teachers full-time and also authors. You know, tiffany White is also a teacher author, and so when you are supporting these authors that I'm mentioning already, you are supporting educators that are right there, educating our kids every single day. And to see that their passion doesn't just stop once they leave their school grounds. It continues to go To see the legacy and fortitude that Syl has for her daughters and having that bond to show them entrepreneurship as well as their passion for people to know that people of all walks of life deserve to be in STEM fields and having that open dialogue and showcasing and sharing that is so critical.

Speaker 1:

Author number six I'm so excited to share with you is Naomi O'Brien. Very big fan of her work. We talked in season two, episode 20. And, of course, I also purchased her book as well Micah's Big Question. It talks about race and identity and just loving the skin that you're in. And what I really enjoyed when I spoke with Naomi she is an educator right out in California and her approach of course I saw her online as well is having those critical conversations and when she said she came up with her resources and her lesson plans, which are phenomenal for Black History Month and all year long. Her and another fellow educator, teacher friend Lanisha Tabb, also have created resource hub for teachers because of the missing link.

Speaker 1:

There were so many resources out there that kept on perpetuating stereotypes and how popular they were, and she decided that she couldn't continue. That, you know, and feel that this is the right thing to do. I think, with Naomi's work and her partner's work as well is doing just that. There are resources that you could purchase and download right away and have it ready. You know, you don't have to think too hard in order to make progress. It's already there. I just love her work and she has the platform Read Like a Rockstar Teaching, so definitely follow the work that she does. She is a reading coach, she is all things, and she's got some really good coaching methods as well as great resources. Again, her and Lanisha Tab and if you're listening, lanisha, I'd love to have you on my show as well. She's got a wonderful children's book as well, called Alpert. And, yes, again, all kinds of great, great things that these phenomenal authors and educators are doing.

Speaker 1:

Now this next author is near and dear to my heart. She is one of the very first authors to reach out to me personally. She heard my podcast and, to tell you, I nearly fainted when I got this amazing woman's email. Her name is Kathleen J Kirkwood and her book Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around. She was one of the architects to create the federal holiday that we celebrate, martin Luther King Jr Day. She is an activist, she is an educator and I tell you, mama Kathleen, she is amazing. She sent me a copy of this book. I highly recommend this book for our upper elementary students through high school, our upper elementary students through high school. She has lots of firsthand experience in marches. She's just phenomenal and, like I said, she reached out to me and our episode that we had together. That's a conversation I will always keep near and dear to my heart.

Speaker 1:

It's season two, episode eight, and I tell you this woman had a wealth of knowledge. She had stories, she had all the behind the scenes things and she also in her book has lots of resources that you can use in your classroom, in your homeschool setting, of what it takes to have and make a federal holiday. She walks you through the process and that's something a lot of us educators can hear and see firsthand of what it takes, how many hoops, who you need to talk to, what is the process of how we can stay a federal holiday is the process of how we can stay a federal holiday. And again, learning our civics and our civic duty, especially now, is so important to show our students how that comes to be. And that book is oh bar none. I also have an episode of reviewing that book as well. But Kathleen J Kirkwood was one of my highlights of my career starting this podcast, and it is season two, episode eight. I can't wait for you to listen more to our conversation Now.

Speaker 1:

My homegirl from LIB, miss Jamesetta Diggs Ooh, author number eight. I cannot wait to share with you this wonderful woman. Her charge is to uplift and share early literacy in that early childhood space. She is amazing. She created this activity book titled Passport Around the World, and it's specifically for early grades. We talk more in depth in our season three, episode 15.

Speaker 1:

Mrs Diggs, I tell you, is someone to watch. We got connected through mutual relatives. You know Liberia is a small country, but we all seem to know each other as well and I am such a huge fan of her work. She is advocating at the state level we're in Minnesota for early literacy in early childhood. She is an agent for change and I am just so honored that she was able to be on my show and she is a phenomenal human being and she has, on her social media platforms and her website, tips for families, you know, and uplifting young children and showing them that they're not alone. And she is the founder of Beyond Early Initiatives.

Speaker 1:

She uses a lot of reflective practice. You know me and listening to me all these years. I am such an advocator of reflective practice. You know me in listening to me all these years. I am such an advocator for reflective practice. What am I doing? How can I continue to make positive change? And she is someone I really think you should continue to support. She gives you library updates. What books you should have in front of your littles. So many of us in this work feel like our preschool age, birth to age three, they don't need to learn about how to be equitable. That's not right. That's not true. Our formative years are one of our most critical, and so having people like Jamesetta to walk you and guide you through that is somebody you need in your corner. So Jamesetta Diggs you are going to love what she does.

Speaker 1:

And last but certainly not least, oh, mrs Nita Creekmore OMG, love, teach, bless this woman I have been following since COVID. She is amazing. She is another educator, literacy coach, huge fan of her work. I actually messaged her and asked her, you know, to be on my show. And again, all of these authors. When I've reached out to them and they say, yes, you know, my husband, annie's like oh gosh, she's like convulsing in joy, like oh my gosh, they sent it back. Gosh, she's like convulsing in joy, like oh my gosh, they sent it back. And Anita was one of those awesome people that also said yes, she didn't hesitate, and we talked a lot about cultural, responsive teaching and practice. I loved our conversation. I loved how, even in her platform, she's showcasing books of all groups of people, not just black and brown folks but all walks of life.

Speaker 1:

And another thing with Nita, she's again very, very knowledgeable of what she does. She's got the expertise of being that classroom teacher. She has that joy and energy of books that she's used in her classroom and what she continues to use in her classroom Another phenomenal teacher, author. And she's got a new book coming out. Yes, I already pre-ordered it. Don't come for me and ask. You know me, I always am supporting my black and brown and all around author sister friends and her book Read Outside your Bubble is going to be released March 11. And she also has a book that she co-authored with her husband, who is a guidance counselor, and that book is titled Every Connection Matters how to Build, maintain and Restore Relationships Inside the Classroom and Out. And that is such an amazing group, because I see them as well online. Her husband is a school guidance counselor Love to have you also on the show, mr Creekmore and again, just a dynamic duo of doing the work and building those cross-cultural connections, having the joy about it.

Speaker 1:

And even in the book Reading Outside your Bubble, when Nita and I talked about it, she said make sure you are finding books that feature people that don't look like you, think like you, believe like you. And that's the basis of this work is to understand that there are different perspectives out there that need to be listened to, heard, valued, respected. That's all the crux of what we're trying to do in order to make positive change. And I just have said and I will say it again I love what I'm doing and thank you all listeners for continuing to lift me up, continuing to ask me questions out in the community. Thank you for listening every Friday and just letting me share with you the knowledge that I have when it comes to finding those books, supporting our other BIPOC authors, innovators, inclusive work partners.

Speaker 1:

You know people of all walks of life in this space of cultural competency and multicultural education and without you all listening, I would not be doing this work with as big of a reach that I am, and it's just a gift to share my work with you all, and I am just so honored that these nine amazing, intelligent African-American women, authors and educators graced my presence and your presence on this podcast. So thank you, thank you, thank you Again. I will have all of their information in the show notes. I'm going to have this also in my blog for Black History Month and beyond, also in my blog for Black History Month and beyond. These are the authors you need to support right now. They also have families that they are supporting, and so to give back. And if you are stuck and thinking in this time and in this climate, jeb, what do I do to support my fellow Black community members? Go to the source. Support them with your economic dollar. That's how we can make this movement continue.

Speaker 1:

Thank you again for tuning into today's episode. If you are an educator looking to bring more inclusivity, cultural relevance and meaningful engagement into your classroom. Be sure to check out my lesson plans on my website, jebaedmondscom. I have over 70 K-12 unit plans, social studies plans, reading plans for you that align with our US Common Core standards and objectives, so it's perfect for creating that impactful learning experience as well as continuing to value your time, with the lack of time that we have in between transitions and students and I get it, I'm right there with you. So definitely check it out on JebeEdmondscom J-E-B-E-H-E-D-M-U-N-D-Scom, and head over to our storefront and explore all those resources and invest in the lessons that truly, truly make a difference. Your students and your classroom will thank you as well as I thank you, and I will see you here same time next week. Bye-bye.