Interesting Articles/Blog Posts

Here are a few articles and recent blog posts I wanted to share:

Blended Beauty (Hair Products) Founder Speaks About Adoption

Interracial Marriages On The Rise

White Grandfather and Black Grandchild Stopped By Police

Book Winner!

Jodilee0123!  Congrats!

Please e-mail me at whitebrownsugar AT hotmail DOT com with your first and last name and mailing address. 

:)

More giveaways to come!

Giveaway: My Hands Sing the Blues

In honor of Black History Month, the author, Jeanne Harvey, of My Hands Sing the Blues is giving away one autographed copy of her book to a lucky WSBS reader!

R:  Tell me about yourself and your family.

JH:  I’m living my dream come true to be a children’s book author! I’ve wanted to write books for children since I was a girl. I’ve had a number of jobs along the way (roller coaster operator, attorney for high tech businesses, literacy and library volunteer, and most recently, middle school Language Arts and Writing Workshop teacher). This year, I’ve rejoined the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) docent program, and I give tours to student groups which I really enjoy. I actually was inspired to write MY HANDS SING THE BLUES when I gave tours at SFMOMA of an amazing Romare Bearden exhibit organized by the National Gallery. Kids loved his art! I could barely get them to move on to the next painting because they were so drawn to the vibrant images of the collages and the stories that each painting told.

When I’m not giving tours at SFMOMA, I’m usually at home or in one of the many libraries or coffee houses I frequent where I’m writing, writing, writing. If I’m at home, my sweet dog, Lucy, a black Lab, is at my feet keeping me company (or nudging me to tell me it’s time to get moving and take a walk).

I live in Marin County, just north of my favorite landmark, the Golden Gate Bridge, with my husband who has been a big supporter of my writing since we met in college. We have two sons in college, and they too read my work and give me great suggestions.

R:  How many books have you written? Why write for kids? 

JH:  I’ve written many books for children, picture books and novels, but some need to stay in my files because I view them as stepping stones to where I am now. It’s been a long road for me to get published which made it all that more exciting when it happened.

My first picture book to be published, ASTRO THE STELLER SEA LION (Sylvan Dell Publishing) was published in 2010. It’s based on a true story of a stranded Steller sea lion pup that was rescued by the Sausalito-based Marine Mammal Center. Astro bonded to people and kept returning to people each time he was released in the ocean. He even joined a school’s walk-a-thon! When I read about his story in my local newspaper, I thought, here’s a perfect story to share with kids. A case of fact better than fiction. I love writing for children because I get to relish the things kids love. And, as a children’s book author, I get to be around kids and share my books which is such fun! When a child tells me that he or she loves my book, it’s truly the best feeling. One teacher told me that a girl who had trouble reading liked my book so much that she memorized the story from reading it so often. I feel very honored to be able to touch a child’s life in that way.
R:  Books featuring African-American characters are hard to come by. Why did you choose to focus your book on African Americans?

JH:  Yes, I agree that we need more books with African-American characters. I was inspired to write this books because of Romare Bearden’s amazing art. His art tells stories not only about his childhood, but the African-American experience in a way we can all seek to understand. I wanted to share his art and his life story with more children through a book about him.

R: Sum up your book for my readers. Why will their kiddos enjoy it? 

JH:  MY HANDS SING THE BLUES tells the story of the childhood journey of Romare Bearden from Charlotte, North Carolina, to shimmering Harlem, New York City. As part of the Great Migration, his family moved to escape the terrible Jim Crow laws, and his family home in Harlem became a center for Harlem Renaissance artists, writers and activists. I wrote the story in a loosely based blues format (three line stanzas with rhyme and repeating phrases) because Bearden loved and was greatly influenced by blues and jazz. He not only had musician friends, but he could hear the music right from his studio in Harlem. When I read the book to children at schools and libraries, they connect to Romare leaving his wonderful great-grandparents, and the excitement of a train ride. And I enjoy going wild with the train sounds included in my text (and I even bring a wooden train whistle). And kids absolutely love Liz Zunon’s illustrations which are truly amazing!

R:   What are you working on next? 

JH:  I’m working on several books. I like working on one book, then putting it away and then coming back to it with fresh eyes. I enjoy writing narrative nonfiction biographies and finding a creative way to capture a theme about a person’s life. So I’m tackling a couple of different artist type picture book biographies. And, I’m also trying my hand at a few humorous picture books — I think having our exuberant spontaneous college sons home during the holidays put me in a rather silly mood. And silly can be great fun to write!

Giveaway Item:  One autographed copy of My Hands Sing the Blues

Begins and Ends:  Begins now, ends at noon (central time) on Feb. 16th.  Winner's name will be posted on Feb. 16th.

How to enter (enter up to 5x):

1:  Become a follower of this blog, and leave me a comment stating you did so.

2:  Share this giveaway on Facebook, your blog, or Twitter, and leave me a comment stating you did so.

3:  Become a fan of my blog on Facebook.   Leave me a comment stating you did so.

4:  Leave a comment telling me how you plan to celebrate Black History Month in your home.

5:  Leave a comment stating what you liked best about Jeanne's interview.  

Good luck! 

Valentine's Day: Show Yourself Some Love

I'm a big believer in taking care of yourself first, because taking care of you means you can better care for others.  You can't give what you don't have.   It's the whole airplane oxygen mask idea---that you have to put it on yourself first before you can best serve the person next to you.  

Here's some self-love inspiration:

• Commit to giving yourself some alone time every day.   Even if it's just 15 minutes or so.   Read a book.  Take a nap.  Pray.   Breathe deeply.  Do some yoga poses.    Flip through that trashy celeb magazine.  
• Exercise.   I know.  I know.  Everyone says they don't have time to workout.  But the truth is that if you don't exercise now, you will pay for it immediately (you won't sleep as well, eat as healthy, or de-stress as much) and later.  Exercising isn't just good for you.  You are modeling healthy behavior for your children.  Find an activity you love and do it.  I love walking outdoors and weight lifting.
• Give up the things that are no longer bringing you joy.  I used to take every writing opportunity that came my way as I was building my writing resume.   No more!  I also used to scrapbook, but then realized I was beginning to dread it.  Now I'm researching alternative ways to display family photos.  Delete shows off your DVR that you no longer love watching.    Now you have time to find a new hobby that you do enjoy!
• Go out with girlfriends.  A girl-date brings me so much joy and a much-needed break.  Don't worry about being fancy, unless, of course, fancy is your thing.  Find a place to meet that is local and affordable.  Great conversation and a little something to eat is all you need!
• Simplify that which is complicated.   For example, create a meal-rotation plan if you are overwhelmed with meal-planning each week.   If you truly cannot keep up with household chores, consider hiring some help.   If running errands with your kids makes everyone miserable, hire a sitter for a few hours a week so you can run errands in peace and take a break from parenting.  
• Stay hydrated.  I am terrible about following this advice, but I realize that staying hydrated keeps me full and gives me the energy I need to tackle each day.     I love herbal tea (warm in the winter, cold in the summer).  
• Date your husband.  It's so easy NOT to go on a date, because it take so much effort---find a sitter, prepare the kids for the evening (meals, lay out clothes, plan an activity like a movie), wear something decent (maybe even sexy?!?---where are those clothes?), and then go out.  Then try not to talk about kids, bills, and family drama.   Yikes!  The pressure!   But you know it's worth it when you actually do it.  :)   Investing in one's marriage is important and sets the tone for the entire family.
• Date yourself.  It is so easy to forget who you are when you are a busy wife and mom.     Purchase a book like this one, fill it out, and have fun!   
• Crank some tunes.  It's amazing to me how music can set the tone for the day or change the tone of a bad day.   If my kids are being especially unruly, I give myself a gift and turn on some music that brings them joy (and distraction!).    If I'm needing a pick-me-up, I turn on some of my favorite songs and dance with the kiddos.   If you're serving a Mexican meal, play salsa music.   
• Decide to put God first.  This is VERY hard for me, because God isn't this demanding and needy being like one of my kids.   He's not in my face begging for attention, a sippy cup of water, or a diaper change.  ;)   But it's crucial that we put on the "whole armor of God" if we're going to be the best possible self.

Show yourself some love this Valentine's Day!

Hair Hair Hair: Part II

Miss E and Baby E have very different heads of hair.  Miss E has curly, dry, easily tangled hair that is fun to style (or not---because who doesn't love a good afro?).   Baby E has fine, silky, slightly curly hair that is too short to do much with at all.     Both girls will grow up battling their hair and trying to identify with black hair culture.

As book-lovers, we've picked up several fabulous titles surrounding the subject of hair, as well as some videos:

I Love My Cotton Candy Hair

I Love My Hair

Fancy Nancy Hair Dos and Don'ts

Ella Kazoo Will Not Brush Her Hair

The Hair Book

Happy to be Nappy

Happy to be Nappy and Other Stories of Me (DVD)

Sesame Street's I Love My Hair segment


We also try to purchase black dolls that have natural-looking hair (not straight and silky!).    A friend of mine gave one of these dolls to my girls this Christmas.      A great place to shop is Etsy where sellers will often customize dolls no extra charge!    Check out babychickie and LeenGreenBean.

What are your favorite hair resources for your kiddos? 

Documentary on Skin Tone/Color

I can't wait to see this documentary.    As the mother of two brown girls who have very different skin tones (Miss E's skin is medium in tone while Baby E is quite dark), I think I'll get some insight into what issues my girls might face within the black community and society in general.   I've already seen it with some adoptive families who are open to a white child or bi-racial child, but not a full African American child.  People fear those who have dark skin, and the darker, the scarier, apparently. 

Have you faced colorism with your brown kids?  Talk to me!

Education vs. Diversity

We live in a diverse area consisting of whites, blacks, and Hispanics.   Our elementary schools are equally as diverse.  

Problem:  We live in a failing school district.   And from what we’ve heard, it’s not only not-great, but it’s one of the worst in the entire state.

So, move, right?   But to where?  

Surrounding areas are either

a---better educationally, but are drastically less diverse

b---much more diverse, in much worse school districts.

So you might be thinking, what about private school?    Even less diverse.   Like my daughter would be THE black girl.   Or maybe one of two.  Not good.

(Funny side note:  when I ask parents or teachers of private schools how diverse their school is, they usually say, “Oh, it’s diverse.  There’s two black kids in the school.  Oh and one Asian girl, too.”   Yeah.  Ok.    Great.)

As a college teacher, I fully understand the impact of a student who is ill-equipped for college due to his or her lack of a good K-12 education.      But I also understand, from the little research there is on transracial adoption, that the kids who feel most resentful of their parents and most struggle with racial identity and confidence are the ones who were “the” black/Asian/Hispanic kid in an mostly white town or school.      

So what wins?  Diversity or education?   What is more important?  

We still have two and a half years before Miss E can go to kindergarten due to her birthday.  She’ll be nearly six when she can go.   We have time to decide.  But some things just aren’t going to change---like the general racial composition of our town and nearby towns, or the failing school districts vs. the well-to-do/successful ones.  

I know I’m not alone in my concerns.  While white parents of white kids brush off my worries (particularly when I ask how diverse their child’s school is) saying, “Kids don’t notice race” or “Your child will be fine,” transracial families are rolling their eyes in annoyance right along with me.   I know I’m perfectly right and normal to worry about diversity vs. education.    I don’t want my daughters, by default, to be “the cool black girl” in their school.

What to do?  What to do?

I’m anxious to hear from you.   What do you think is more important----diversity or education?   Do you find yourself in a similar predicament?   What will you do?   Would you (have you?) ever move a great distance to find a diverse and good school for your kids, or is that going too far?