I’ve been intentionally quiet here. Because there are more important conversations to be had. Conversations about Black lives. And how those Black lives matter. And our systemically racist society. Admittedly uncomfortable conversations for many that require space and time for that discomfort. And more so than any other time, it feels to me that my babbling is just taking up space. Right now is not a time for me to take up any space.
But I wanted to take a moment to highlight a voice in our community that is especially poignant at this time. It’s the voice of Jelani Memory, founder of A Kids Book About and author of A Kids Book About Racism. Because his voice — while always important — is especially important right now.
Jelani recently sat down with the folks at Willamette Week, as part of their Distant Voices series, to talk about the current state of the world in which we live. And how parents and kids can be talking about it.
“The discomfort, the fear, is almost always on my part when we go into those conversations,” says the Portland author. “I think all kids are in that place where they’re hungry, they want to understand.”
For more, please read “Portland Author Jelani Memory Wants You to Talk to Your Kids About the Current Protests.”
[Full disclosure: Jelani is a mentor in residence for PIE. I am the cofounder and general manager of PIE.]
