(ThySistas.com) Videos I will come across on a daily basis on social media:
- A young black male is severely beaten by an officer at a school
- A young black female is dressed way older than she actually is
- A young black male is using profanity while their family laughs
- A young black female is fighting with another female in a school hallway
Most of these videos are videos that my students are watching. We follow each other on Twitter, and I get access to these disturbing images. I do not spend my life on social media, but, if I did and watched these videos, I would definitely have a very skewed perspective about the future generations of African-American boys and girls. That would be truly scary. There is a fervent need for video and literature that shows young black males and females that they have the power to be successful and awesome. When they get to my age, they are already close to the adult mentality of having their values and beliefs set. They need something at a younger age to help them understand their worth and their power.
Mother and Feminine Advocate Christina Louise saw a need. Christina Louise filled the need. Her books Pretty Brown Girl and Black Boy Joy are children’s books dedicated to reaffirming that our youth have an untapped power. In Pretty Brown Girl, Louise opens the book immediately declaring that purpose exists:
Pretty brown girl…
You are created on purpose
With a purpose to change the world.
Throughout the book, she puts pictures of beautiful brown-skinned girls in different outfits and environments: tomboyish and outside to elegant in a ballroom. Each page is a reminder that being a dark shade is not only a privilege, but a sign of wealth.
Most authors direct their writings just to females because it has been proven that females read more than males. Christina Louise refuses to leave young boys out. In her book, Black Boy Joy, illustrations show boys of color as men of business and men of leisure. She also confronts a damaging stereotype that society has attempted to brand the black male:
Black Boy Joy…
You are not the villain society
has stereotyped you to be.
You are greatness!
This type of encouragement is needed in a time when young black boys see success in the form of athletics, music, or illegal activity.
Sometimes, our words are not enough. They will go through one ear and out of another ear. It may take different outlets in order to reaffirm positivity in the lives of our future brown babies.
We as a race have worked hard to rewrite the Black American story from just being about slavery and bondage. Success is more consistent, but there are visible and invisible forces attempting to keep us in the same place. They aspire for us to remain comfortable. Christina Louise’ books attempt to give encouragement and empowerment back to our young people so that they may change our future world. Thank you, Christina Louise, for taking wisdom and measure to remind us and our future that they have the ability to do just about anything. Her books, Pretty Brown Girl and Black Boy Joy, are declarations of positivity toward children of color.
Staff Writer; J. W. Bella
May also follow this talented sister online over at; JWB Writes.