Thread by @chavelaque

So I have a cool story to share today about a book that's been four hundred and one years and four months in the making.

Last May, soon after the death of #GeorgeFloyd, Kyle Lukoff (the author of @LEEandLOW's WHEN AIDAN BECAME A BROTHER) reached out to me. (thread)

He was friends with a kindergarten teacher and writer named Laleña Garcia (@LearnLalena), who had self-published a book about the principles of Black Lives Matter for children, and would I be interested in seeing it?

WOULD I!!!

So Kyle & I met up in Prospect Park and he handed over this beautiful (now very battered) book, which was a revelation to me -- and would be for many people, I think.

When Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi first created #BlackLivesMatter, they worked with their community to write a list of guiding principles for the movement. These principles have changed over time as the movement has grown & its needs have shifted . . .

But the principles have always celebrated diversity and empathy. They center the leadership of queer and trans people and Black women. They encourage thinking about the needs of Black people globally, and strengthening Black families & communities here.

The principles lay out a vision of a society where all Black people's lives are valued, and everyone can grow and thrive in justice and community.

I've been following the #BlackLivesMatter movement since Ferguson, and the media had NEVER presented this vision to me.

Contrary to what fearful commentators might say about #BLM, the principles don't mention police or protest (or white people) at all. They focus on building a better world, overcoming the last 401 years of oppression of Black people in this country through community & love.

The principles are beautiful, and uplifting, and positive, and powerful. I felt inspired reading them, & I want to live in the world they set forth.

Coming back to the book's story: Laleña had developed the text through her work with the Black Lives Matter at School movement (@BLMAtSchool). You can see BLM@School's articulation of the principles here: blacklivesmatteratschool.com/13-guiding-pri…. Laleña adapted them for young children.

A couple years ago, she approached another teacher in the BLM@School movement, Caryn Davidson, who had created gorgeous illustrations of real-life activists & historical figures. This is Caryn's drawing of Charlene Carruthers, a political strategist & community leader in Chicago.

I loved the result of Caryn & Laleña's work, and I reached out to them to see if they'd be interested in republishing it with @LeeandLow. They said yes, and over the last four months, we worked together to revise the text & illustrations for 2020.

The result:

WHAT WE BELIEVE: A BLACK LIVES MATTER PRINCIPLES ACTIVITY BOOK, coming October 27, 2020 from @LEEandLOW.

You can read more about it here: blog.leeandlow.com/2020/10/01/wha… and preorder it at all book retailers.

Your preorder does two types of good, as @LEEandLOW will be donating a portion of the proceeds from the first printing to the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation.

Thank you for your attention to this thread, and for spreading the word about the book. (end)