Windy City Media Group Frontpage News

THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

home search facebook twitter join
Gay News Sponsor Windy City Times 2023-12-13
DOWNLOAD ISSUE
Donate

Sponsor
Sponsor
Sponsor

  WINDY CITY TIMES

MOMBIAN Childhood stories of LGBTQ, other social justice activists
by Dana Rudolph
2019-11-26

This article shared 2721 times since Tue Nov 26, 2019
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email


Every social justice hero was once a child. Some became activists as children; others did so as adults because of things they experienced when they were young. A new middle-grade book from the prolific Robin Stevenson explores the childhoods of activists in the LGBTQ, racial, disability, labor, immigrant, and women's civil rights' movements, among other areas, offering young readers both information and inspiration.

Kid Activists: True Tales of Childhood from Champions of Change ( Quirk Books ) includes biographical sketches of 16 diverse activists, focusing on how their early years influenced their commitment to social justice. Stevenson is smart to blend heroes of the past ( Frederick Douglass, Alexander Hamilton ) with more contemporary figures ( Malala Yousafzai, Janet Mock ), giving readers both a sense of the long, rich history of activism and a way to find current resonance. In accessible but never patronizing prose, she sketches the stories of her subjects' childhoods, deftly setting the scene for each one and providing informative details, engaging quotes, and sometimes humorous anecdotes. ( Did you know that Martin Luther King Jr., once played a practical joke on his piano teacher? Or that when water protector Autumn Peltier was invited by email to speak at the U.N., her mother thought it was a scam and almost deleted the message? ) At the same time, Stevenson does not shy away from mentioning the challenges they encountered. In fact, her exploration of their many early failures is one of the great strengths of the book, and should give young readers confidence that they, too, can fail and then succeed. She also notes when some of her subjects were victims of violence or assassination, but avoids graphic detail.

At the end of each of the 16 main profiles is a page noting one or more additional people connected to the primary figures in some way, or who were active in the same social justice movements. After Harvey Milk's profile, for example, we read briefly about lesbian activists Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin, who had helped pave the way for Milk and the later LGBTQ rights movement. After reading about Dolores Huerta's childhood, we learn a bit about Cesar Chavez, her partner in starting the United Farm Workers. Much as I would have loved to read full profiles of all these figures, I understand that the economics of publishing ( and attention spans of younger readers ) necessitate some picking and choosing. Nevertheless, Stevenson has done a wonderful job of making her main profiles engaging and informative while also whetting readers' appetites to know more. Cartoon illustrations by Allison Steinfeld enliven the pages, but this is not a picture book. The biographies are thoughtful and feel substantial for their length. That's not an easy trick, but Stevenson pulls it off. Even adults will likely find themselves learning something.

If Stevenson's name sounds familiar, that's not surprising. A queer mom herself, who lives in British Columbia with her partner and their son, she's the author of numerous books for all ages, including Pride Colors, a board book for tots; Pride: Celebrating Diversity and Community, a middle-grade book that blends a history of the event with a broader look at LGBTQ identities and the struggle for LGBTQ equality; My Body My Choice: The Fight for Abortion Rights, which gives teens a look at the past, present, and future of the movement; and Ghost's Journey: A Refugee Story, a brand-new elementary grade picture book about two gay refugees and their cat.

Stevenson's latest book is part of the publisher's Kid Legends series, which also includes books about the childhoods of famous artists, athletes, authors, scientists and U.S. presidents. They may be on to something. Another children's publication, Kazoo magazine ( coincidentally founded by another queer mom ), offers advice, ideas, and inspiration from outstanding women in STEM, the arts, politics and other fields. Instead of depicting them as grownups, dispensing advice from on high, Kazoo shows images of them as children, so readers can more easily see themselves in these role models. Rather than giving children the message that people must be adults to make a difference in the world, Stevenson and Kazoo are each reminding them that every famous person started out as a child. Some became famous as children; others used the experiences from their childhoods to guide them later in life. Either way, it's an empowering approach. Kid Activists, with a focus on people who fought ( and in some cases, are still fighting ) for social justice, should find many fans—and just might inspire a few new "champions of change." Seems like our world could use all it can get right about now.

Dana Rudolph is the founder and publisher of Mombian ( Mombian.com ), a GLAAD Media Award-winning blog and resource directory for LGBTQ parents.


This article shared 2721 times since Tue Nov 26, 2019
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email

Out and Aging
Presented By

  ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Gay News

VIEWS Mike Johnson: The smiling face of Christian tyranny 2024-02-14
- Mike Johnson wants to rewrite the constitution to make the United States a Christian nation. James Michael Johnson, Republican from Louisiana's Fourth District, is the 56th speaker of the United States House of Representatives. He was ...


Gay News

VIEWS Parents, not legislators, should be making decisions about medical options for children 2024-02-06
By Jeffery M. Leving - No matter the medical issue, when it comes to kids, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine said something last December that every lawmaker in the country should realize when it comes to medical decisions for children. "Were House ...


Gay News

SHOWBIZ Sundance items, Green Day, 'Wednesday,' Queerties, 'The Wiz' 2024-01-26
- At the Sundance Film Festival, Jodie Foster told Variety that the $1.4-billion success of Barbie helps confirm that Hollywood no longer views women directors as too much of a risk. She said, "With a big success ...


Gay News

VIEWS Is the Pope Catholic? Francis faces opposition in steps toward LGBTQ+ inclusivity 2024-01-02
- The recent change in Vatican policy allowing priests to bless same-gender couples has provoked an unprecedented backlash against Pope Francis and his openness to LGBTQ+ people—a backlash that some fear might devolve into a schism in ...


Gay News

Bring Chicago Home: Guess who's saying no again 2023-12-04
Commentary by Bob Palmer and Mark Swartz - Chicago is ushering in an era of change with a new progressive mayor with a vision to invest in communities long ignored and a significant increase in like-minded city council members. We are excited to see ...


Gay News

Pope Francis's community of transwomen 2023-11-28
- It's a rare opportunity to meet the pope. It's even rarer if you're a transgender Catholic. However, on Nov. 19, in Torvaianica, Italy, a community of transwomen, many of them sex workers, were welcomed and seated ...


Gay News

Banning the Banning of Books: Illinois and California lead the way 2023-10-26
- In June, at the Harold Washington Library in Chicago, Governor JB Pritzker signed legislation banning book bans in Illinois public libraries. This legislation, initiated by Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, passed the Illinois House and ...


Gay News

OPINION Renewing state's Invest in Kids program is investing in anti-LGBTQ+ hate 2023-10-23
- In February 2020, Bishop Thomas Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield warned transgender students in the Diocese's educational system that they "may be expelled from the school" if they live their lives authentically. Lansing Christian School ...


Gay News

Gilbert Baker Foundation reacts to death of shop owner who flew the rainbow flag 2023-08-29
--From a press release - In response to the murder of Laura Ann Carleton over flying the Rainbow flag in her shop in California, the Gilbert Baker Foundation released the statement below. Facebook refused to post the statement as it did not "...meet their standards." ...


Gay News

VIEWPOINT U.S. higher education under siege; freedom of inquiry and speech at risk 2023-07-03
- The Covid pandemic threw a harsh spotlight on higher education in America, exposing forces eating away at the foundations of college and university learning, calling into question the traditional purposes of such education in our post-modern, ...


Gay News

Guest essay by Florida mom Nicole Pejovich: What's Happening to Florida's Public Schools? 2023-06-19
Related video below - A queer Florida parent answers questions about recent laws, how Floridians are coping, and how you can help Books pulled from school library shelves by the dozens. All evidence of inclusivity stripped from classrooms. The politically ...


Gay News

VIEWPOINT For divorced parents, transgender children's health can present tricky dilemmas 2023-06-12
- Over the last few months, issues impacting individuals who identify as transgender and non-binary are getting a lot of attention in the media and among some politicians. Sadly, because it's become a political issue; a lot ...


Gay News

VIEWPOINT War in the 21st Century: mercenaries, private military companies, private armies 2023-05-20
- In 2022, $407 billion of the Pentagon budget—representing half of that year's funding —were obligated to private contractors, of which a significant number were Private Military Companies (PMCs) involved in ...


Gay News

VIEWPOINT Telling the world about my mental health disorders 2023-05-04
- Over the years, coming out as a lesbian hasn't been that hard for me—because I was always too busy hiding something else. Confessing queerness can be a breeze compared to revealing mental illness. But I decline ...


Gay News

VIEWPOINT German bishops endorse blessings of same-sex couples: Ancient rituals retturn 2023-03-31
- This March, at a national meeting of leaders of the German Catholic Church (referred to as a synod), a document titled Blessing Ceremonies for Couples who Love Each Other" received overwhelming support: 176 votes in favor, ...


 


Copyright © 2024 Windy City Media Group. All rights reserved.
Reprint by permission only. PDFs for back issues are downloadable from
our online archives.

Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, and
photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and no
responsibility may be assumed for unsolicited materials.

All rights to letters, art and photos sent to Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago
Gay and Lesbian News and Feature Publication) will be treated
as unconditionally assigned for publication purposes and as such,
subject to editing and comment. The opinions expressed by the
columnists, cartoonists, letter writers, and commentators are
their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature Publication).

The appearance of a name, image or photo of a person or group in
Nightspots (Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times
(a Chicago Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature
Publication) does not indicate the sexual orientation of such
individuals or groups. While we encourage readers to support the
advertisers who make this newspaper possible, Nightspots (Chicago
GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay, Lesbian
News and Feature Publication) cannot accept responsibility for
any advertising claims or promotions.

 
 

TRENDINGBREAKINGPHOTOS







Sponsor


 



Donate


About WCMG      Contact Us      Online Front  Page      Windy City  Times      Nightspots
Identity      BLACKlines      En La Vida      Archives      Advanced Search     
Windy City Queercast      Queercast Archives     
Press  Releases      Join WCMG  Email List      Email Blast      Blogs     
Upcoming Events      Todays Events      Ongoing Events      Bar Guide      Community Groups      In Memoriam     
Privacy Policy     

Windy City Media Group publishes Windy City Times,
The Bi-Weekly Voice of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Community.
5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, IL 60640-2113 • PH (773) 871-7610 • FAX (773) 871-7609.