Children Authors Celebrate Diversity
Promoting Diversity through Children’s Books
The Collingswood Book Festival hosted a Diversity Panel to focus on children's books that highlight race, gender, sexual orientation, and special needs. Watch below to hear different viewpoints of authors, educators, advocates and parents.
Panelists include Angela Joy, Farrah Jenkins, Shenita Agee, & Frank Murphy. Lisa Steinhauer moderates the discussion.
If you’re interested in purchasing books showcasing diversity, we have partnered with Inkwood Book Store in Haddonfield. Click here for the complete list of books available for purchase.
Drag Queen Story Hour
The Collingswood Book Festival sat down with Harmonica Sunbeam for Drag Queen Story Hour. Miss Sunbeam will read a book and then spend some time talking about about her experiences with DQSH and why she promotes love and support of the LGBTQ community. After story time, Harmonica joins Wanda Swanson for an interview (Scroll to 2nd video to begin at interview).
Harmonica Sunbeam Interview
Meet Our Diversity Panel
The goals of the Diversity Panel are to provide parents, caregivers and educators books and resources that will promote love, awareness and acceptance of all people; encourage adults to discuss diversity and the value of people’s differences with children through books; and recognize inequities experienced through personal and systemic discrimination.
Angela Joy
California author and parent Joy struggled to find characters in books that looked like her children. She wrote Black is a Rainbow Color about a young girl exploring what it means to be Black.
Connect with Angela
www.angelajoybooks.com
www.facebook.com/angela.joy.798
www.instagram.com/angelajoybooks
Buy Angela’s Book
Black Is A Rainbow Color
Farrah Jenkins
Adding to the discussion about racial inequality, Camden educator Jenkins will focus on the importance of social justice through children’s literature. She has also played a role in her community’s Black Lives Matter movement.
Connect with Farrah
www.smartgirlteachisfarrahjenkins.com
www.facebook.com/farrah.jenkins.921
www.instagram.com/farrahjp
Shenita Agee
Agee joins the panel with the perspectives on both race and special needs. As the mother of a Black non-verbal child, Agee hopes to increase awareness for special needs children. She recently published the book My Big Brother DJ as the first in a series of books to celebrate her son’s special needs journey.
Connect with Shenita
www.exceptionaldjbooks.com
www.facebook.com/exceptionaldjbooks
www.instagram.com/shenita_mommyblogger
Buy Shenita’s Book
My Big Brother DJ
Frank Murphy
Frank Murphy will continue the conversation on gender as the author of A Boy Like You and A Girl Like You. Murphy said he is excited to participate in the discussion in order to “redefine and broaden families' and readers' notions of masculinity, gender and diversity.” Murphy has taught a variety of grades at the elementary level for more than 27 years.
Connect with Frank
www.frankmurphybooks.com
www.instagram.com/frankmurphy2009
Buy Frank’s Books
A Boy Like You
A Girl Like You
Drag Queen Story Hour
Meet Harmonica Sunbeam one of the drag queens who reads books to children in schools, libraries and other community spaces. Miss Sunbeam will read a book and then spend some time talking about about her experiences with DQSH and why she promotes love and support of the LGBTQ community.
Watch the video below to see DQSH in action!
Miss Sunbeam’s latest project is showcasing her unique ability to uplift, encourage and engage children. Since the inception of DQSH in the New York area, Miss Sunbeam has been featured in the NY Times and also interviewed for a now viral video on Buzzfeed. She also does DQSH for kids with special needs. Recently she became the North Jersey coordinator and is working to bring DQSH to as many people as possible. Harmonica’s motto is “Your Story Hour is just a Drag Queen away.”
Check Out an Excerpt From Our Q&A