A hero who advocates for celebrating everyone’s heritage What’s next for you in the book world?Ī novel about climate change. Donte in Black Brother, Black Brother becomes a self-realized fencing champion. “the Black Count.” Yet, historically, poor kids and kids of color have been excluded from American fencing. Alexander Dumas in his tales of derring-do, was writing about his father, Napoleon’s most famous general, a.k.a. Black Brother, Black Brother is not only a social justice novel, but it’s also about media and popular culture exclusion of writers and athletes of color. I try to write compact, emotional and thought-provoking stories. Please describe the content of your latest book and what can readers expect from the read. Characters become a conduit for them to explore ideas, feelings and, perhaps, more importantly, to discuss with classmates, teachers, and parents ways to become empowered and make their future better and brighter. Youth are desperate to discuss conflicts and for opportunities to develop critical thinking skills and empathy. Social equity issues, in particular, affect families. We live in tense, unsettling, and disruptive times. Why do you feel books with powerful and relatable characters are so popular and have such a voice right now? Like Donte and Trey in Black Brother, Black Brother, I want my children (all children) to be treated equally and none privileged because of skin tone. Skin color should not determine the ease with which one child is more fully embraced by society and the other is subject to racism. These characters are inspired by my own experiences raising two bi-racial kids (one, light-skinned the other, darker) who have had very different experiences growing up in America.

I relate to both brothers, Donte and Trey.

What character do you most relate to and why? Black Brother, Black Brotheraddresses bias in schools, both public and private. Ghost Boysaddressed racial bias in our cities and towns. Once arrested even for minor infractions, the odds that a student will be entrapped by the criminal justice system and not graduate, double.

Jewell: While researching my last book Ghost Boys, I learned elementary through high school students of color are often unfairly suspended, arrested by police, and in many cases charged with crimes. Aurora: What was your inspiration behind your most recent novel?

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