Kamala Harris: Rooted in Justice
“Where is a more sacred place to learn about another culture than between the pages of a book?”
In her adult life, Nikki Grimes is known as a prolific, award-winning poet, author, and storyteller. However, as a child, she had a very difficult upbringing. Grimes was born to a mother who struggled with alcoholism and mental illness. Because of that, she was raised in foster care and moved often, making it difficult to form friendships with others.
Throughout that time - perhaps as an escape - she remembered reading many books. Unfortunately, Grimes noticed that she didn’t see stories like hers or characters like herself reflected in the books she found. As an author, she decided to change that by creating books for children whose stories often went untold. Stories about children who longed to be acknowledged. Check out a list of her amazing work here: https://www.nikkigrimes.com/.
One of those stories includes Kamala Harris: Rooted in Justice. This book is a biography about Kamala Harris beginning with her childhood. The reader is given a brief history about much of what and who influenced Harris to become the woman she is.
Harris had a remarkable upbringing surrounded by the Civil Rights movement, attending a newly integrated school, and participating in marches and protests from infanthood. Her mother was a scientist and social activist, and her father, a teacher. The influences Harris had certainly affected her life choices and the options from which she could choose.
Anyone who’s ever read a choose-your-own-adventure book knows that it’s often not a single decision, but the cumulative impact of a bunch of small decisions, that influences the ultimate outcome of our experiences. This story has us thinking about the lives of Grimes and Harris side-by-side. Their two experiences are very different, yet both are rooted in the feeling of being compelled and being brave enough to be the first to do what they did not see in their world.
They chose bravely to be the first. Because of that, Brown and Black children everywhere can see themselves represented in ways beyond their marginalization. We hope this story empowers you and your young readers to make many, many brave decisions - no matter how small. Imagine what we might see…
Some Things to Think About…
How is the meaning of Kamala’s name linked to her as a person?
How do you think her life would have been different if she stayed in Montreal?
Why is it so significant that she was the first in so many ways? Why do you think there has never been a female vice president before?
illustrated by Laura Freeman
