News & Events
News
Kirkus Reviews
All You Have to Do is a Best Young Adult Book of 2023
“An electric debut; a must-read for all.”
People Magazine feature
All You Have to Do featured in People Magazine as a must-read for fall 2023.
“Masterfully interwoven narratives show what it means to challenge injustice through the decades.”
Highlights Foundation Crash Course in Children’s Book Publishing for Muslim Storytellers
Thanks to funding from the Doris Duke Foundation through its Building Bridges Program, the Highlights Foundation is able to host the Muslim Storytellers Crash Course with additional programming to come through 2025. The Building Bridges Program supports national efforts, working with U.S. Muslims, to increase mutual understanding and well-being among diverse populations for the benefit of building stronger, inclusive communities.
Upcoming Events
Institute for Racial Equity in Literacy – Author Panel
January 5, 2024
Boston, MA
Massachusetts Reading Association Conference
April 25-24, 2024
Sturbridge, MA
Panel presentation: “Black Teens and School Culture in YA Fiction”
Past Events
NCTE Conference and ALAN Workshop
November 16-21, 2023
Columbus, OH
- “What’s in Your Classroom Library? Diversify Your Shelves and Your Book Talks with New YA Literature”
- “Youth and Protest: The Teacher’s Role”
- #Disrupttexts session
- ALAN reception
- “History’s Reflection of the Present”
Kweli Pre-Conference Event
October 21, 2023
Ballet Hispánico, NYC
All You Have to Do Launch Event
Many thanks to all who came out to celebrate the launch of my debut novel, All You Have to Do. It was a beautiful evening with folks of all ages and backgrounds.
Watch my conversation with Jenn De Leon, thanks to the Associates of the Boston Public Library, and hear the playlist, curated by Daren Graves. Special thanks to Frugal Bookstore and Caked!
Other past events
- Conversation and book signing, with Jenn Baker, at Cover to Cover Bookstore, Columbus, OH, November 16, 2023
- Craft Talk: Empathy to Authenticity: Writing Historical Fiction and Other Identities, Grub Street, October, 2023
- The Silver Unicorn Bookstore: conversation with Ray Anthony Shepherd, moderated by Nikki Turpin, September 2023
- Kweli Color of Children’s Literature Conference, 2022 and 2023
- “Talking with Children about Race and Racism: Using Picture Books and Other Effective Tools,” webinar for Simmons University, with Daren Graves, Ed.D., moderated by Stacy Collins, 2022
- “Pacing, Pattern and Plot: Polishing Your Picture Book Manuscript,” with Nivair Gabriel, The Muse and the Marketplace Conference, 2022
- “Ten Years to Mastery: Writing to Grow,” Youth Keynote, International Women’s Writing Guild Summer Conference, 2022
- Editor Chat: the Writers’ Loft, 2021
- NESCBWI Agent-Editor Day, 2021
- “Shake Up Your Shelves!” Conversation with Donalyn Miller and Erin Entrada Kelly, 2021
- Homeschooling Webinar for Parents for Iqra
- “Parenting for Social Justice through Co-Constructive, Race-Conscious Reading,” with Megan Dowd Lambert, Wayland Public Library