There's so much talk of representation in politics and entertainment - it's everywhere - but I didn't realize representation was important until really my senior year of high school.
Tomi AdeyemiRead
For readers of color, and especially black readers, black girls, I just want them to feel seen. And not just seen - I want them to feel epic and know that they are epic.
Interpretation
This quote emphasizes the importance of representation and empowerment for black readers, especially young black girls.
Tomi Adeyemi's quote speaks to the vital need for readers of color, particularly black girls, to see themselves reflected in literature. It goes beyond mere visibility; it strives to instill a sense of greatness and potential in them, encouraging them to recognize their uniqueness and brilliance in a world that often marginalizes their identities.
In practice
A speech at a literary festival celebrating diversity in children's literature.
There's so much talk of representation in politics and entertainment - it's everywhere - but I didn't realize representation was important until really my senior year of high school.
I want a little black girl to pick up my book one day and see herself as the star. I want her to know that she's beautiful, and she matters, and she can have a crazy, magical adventure even if an ignorant part of the world tells her she can never be Hermione Granger.
You're never wasting your time as long as you learn from every single thing you do, whether you feel like those attempts are successful or not.
The power of fantasy is that you can make people understand the deeper realities of our world in a way that they wouldn't normally be able to because of all the things in our world that closes them off.
I had a lot of different reasons for writing the book, but at its core was the desire to write for black teenage girls growing up reading books they were absent from. That was my experience as a child. 'Children of Blood and Bone' is a chance to address that. To say you are seen.
What's demanded from us black creatives is both a blessing and a curse, because it pushes you to be your absolute best. You cannot be anything less.
Hope is not just one single quality or promise. Hope has to do with believing beyond today— knowing there’s a garden of beauty that awaits me.
We are Boston. We are America. We respond. We endure. We overcome. And we own the finish line.
For me, personally, I feel like that's my duty while I'm on this earth is to serve others and use my blessing to bless others. If I'm not doing that, I feel like I'm not serving my purpose. That's my goal, that's my passion, and that's what I intend to do for the rest of my life.
Take a good look at your life right now. If you don't like something about it, close your eyes and imagine the life you want. Now allow yourself to focus your inner eye on the person you would be if you were living this preferred life. Notice the differences in how you behave and present yourself; allow yourself to spend several seconds breathing in the new image, expanding your energy into this.
Winners have the ability to step back from the canvas of their lives like an artist gaining perspective. They make their lives a work of art - an individual masterpiece.
When women put their heads together, powerful things can happen!
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