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It's my birthday
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Hi Reader, I celebrated my birthday with my immediate family last night, and tonight my wonderful mom will have dinner for us complete with my favorite ice cream cake. I feel so lucky to be surrounded by so many people who love me! Maybe because the state of the world and my country feels like a constant dumpster fire these days, I've been thinking a lot about what I DO feel good about from the past year: To go back to my mom, I'm so thankful that she's healthy. This time last year she had a fall that set off a terrible bout of pneumonia that resulted in two hospital stays. She's doing great now. We're two weeks into homeschooling high school, and it actually seems to be going well! I've been so nervous, but my son is really rising to the challenge. I'm encouraged by the small but courageous church community I'm part of, and all the amazing activists in my city who are taking big risks to speak up against ICE cruelty and racist federal occupation that has plagued Memphis for the past 10 months. Readers - including you - give me hope. In such hard times, you're still focused on guiding kids towards justice and inclusion. I also feel really proud of the work I put into creating Past and Present Fights for Voting Rights, the new activity pack for kids and teens I released this week. For the past several months, I've poured my heart and soul into researching and then creating this resource. It was born out of my heartbreak. When the Supreme Court essentially killed the Voting Rights Act in April, my state's legislature was one of the first to pounce on the opportunity to erase the crowning achievement of the civil rights movement. They called a special legislative session, ignored the outcry of Black legislators and citizens, and in just three days ended the majority Black Congressional district my city has had since the 1970s. I couldn't travel to our state capitol for the protests, but I did my best on social to mobilize last-ditch phone calls and emails. My public posts received supportive comments from friends, and frightening responses from racist trolls that somehow found me. It was all over so quickly, decades of civil rights work undone. For a couple of weeks after the re-districting happened, I didn't know what I could do that would matter. Then I started thinking about how to explain what was happening across the South to kids and teens. I quickly realized that I could only explain how important the Voting Rights Act was if I helped youth trace its history and all the various groups of people it has protected. As I was researching that, I realized I didn't really understand another Supreme Court decision about the Voting Rights Act that was made back in 2013. After I got a good understanding of that, I began documenting all the specific ways that red states have engaged in voter suppression for more than two decades now. (I knew the broad strokes of what had taken place but seeing it all laid out in order made me so angry - and motivated.) It was also really important to me that the activity pack be a resource for lots of different ages. I spent the summer creating kid and youth-friendly summaries of what I'd learned, plus creative expression and critical thinking activities for a wide variety of ages (elementary, middle, and high school.) That's how what I thought would be a "mini" resource for young people turned into a big collection of 29 activities that teach the history of voting rights and the reality of voter suppression today. Thinking back on my work from the past several years, I think this is the most important resource I've created since I wrote my Raising Antiracist Kids book in 2019. We're at our crucial point that will determine the future of democracy in the United States. If we don't turn the tide towards upholding voting rights and ensuring fair elections, there will be disastrous ripple effects for every marginalized group in this country. Are you ready to learn with the young people in your life, so that together you can take action? If so, I hope you'll take a look at Past and Present Fights for Voting Rights. Head here to find out more about what's inside, answers to frequently asked questions, and sample pages to download.
xo, Rebekah Rebekah Gienapp (she/her/hers) | rebekahgienapp.com | Connect on Instagram | Coffees for Gaza | Knit 4 Justice |
Raising antiracist kids
Are you a parent, caregiver, or educator who wants to help children become brave justice seekers? Subscribe for practical tips, children's book recommendations, and resources for antiracist families and classrooms.
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