IntersectionAllies: We Make Room for All

by Chelsea Johnson, LaToya Council, Carolyn Choi, Ashley Seil Smith (Illustrator)

Overview

ONE OF HUFFPOST'S RECOMMENDED "ANTI-RACIST BOOKS FOR KIDS AND TEENS"

FEATURED ON KEYS SOULCARE AS "5 STUNNING VISUAL BOOKS FOR ALL AGES"

[A] celebration of solidarity, allyship, and community...A welcoming resource for conversations about equality and social justice that shows readers how identities are made up of myriad influences.—PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

The brainchild of three women-of-color sociologists, IntersectionAllies is a smooth, gleeful entry into intersectional feminism. The nine interconnected characters proudly describe themselves and their backgrounds, involving topics that range from a physical disability to language brokering, offering an opportunity to take pride in a personal story and connect to collective struggle for justice.

The group bond grounds the message of allyship and equality. When things get hard, the kids support each other for who they are: Parker defends Kate, a genderfluid character who eschews skirts for a superhero cape; Heejung welcomes Yuri, a refugee escaping war, into their community; and Alejandra’s family cares for Parker after school while her mother works. Advocating respect and inclusion, IntersectionAllies is a necessary tool for learning to embrace, rather than shy away from, difference.

Featuring gorgeous illustrations on every page by Ashley Seil Smith, as well as powerful introductions by activist and law professor Dr. Kimberlé Crenshaw, who coined the term “intersectionality,” and Dr. Ange-Marie Hancock Alfaro, author of Intersectionality: An Intellectual History.

También disponible en español. (Also available in Spanish.)

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781948340083
Publisher:	DOTTIR PR
Publication date:	07/23/2019
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	56
Sales rank:	343,806
Product dimensions:	10.00(w) x 10.30(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	760L (what's this?)
Age Range:	6 - 12 Years

About the Author

CHELSEA JOHNSON became interested in feminism through writers like Audre Lorde and Patricia Hill Collins as an undergraduate at Spelman College, a historically Black college for women in Atlanta, GA. She went on to study the politics of race, class, gender, and fashion at the University of Southern California, where she earned her PhD in sociology and gender studies in 2019. Chelsea now works as an applied researcher in the corporate world, using intersectionality to help companies design products with underrepresented groups in mind.

LATOYA COUNCIL was born and raised in Dudley, North Carolina. She was first introduced to the concept of intersectionality at Spelman College, which inspired her scholarship, activism, and vision for a more inclusive world. LaToya went on to earn her MA in sociology at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs and is currently finishing up her PhD in sociology at the University of Southern California. Her research theorizes how race, class, and gender shape work and family life.

CAROLYN CHOI was born to immigrant parents in Los Angeles. After graduating with her BA from UCLA, Carolyn began community organizing with an immigrant rights organization in Los Angeles, where intersectionality was central to her advocacy work. She later went abroad to earn an MS in sociology at the London School of Economics and Political Science and is currently at the University of Southern California, finishing up her PhD. Carolyn's research touches on the topics of human trafficking and international migration.

ASHLEY SEIL SMITH, illustrator, was raised in California and the conservative South, the last of five daughters. After studying women's health in India during undergrad, Ashley committed to public conversations about feminism and bodies, and created a menstruation museum and period box subscription company. She received her MFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York City and now works full-time as an artist.  Her work has been featured in the New York Times, Lenny, and Forbes. She lives and works in New York City.

Read an Excerpt

My name is Alejandra, but I go by Allie.

I use a chair, but it doesn’t define me.

Instead, it allows me to

ZZZIP, GLIDE, and PLAY.

When I need to get through,

friends help make a way.

Where there’s room for some, we make room for all.

Friends can be allies, no matter how small!

Hello, I’m Parker! After school every day,

Allie’s family takes care of us both while we play.

My mom works hard to provide for me.

Her love’s the source of our stability.

Not toys or money, nor treasures untold—

Community care is more precious than gold.

Skirts and frills are cute, I suppose,

but my superhero cape is more “Kate” than those bows.

Some may be confused that a kid like me

can wear what I want and be proud and carefree.

My friends defend my choices and place.

A bathroom, like all rooms, should be a safe space.

My name is Adilah, and just like Kate,

what I wear inspires endless debate.

Some give, some chant,

some sing, and some pray.

My hijab is my choice—

you can choose your own way.

Editorial Reviews

04/15/2019

With a foreword by civil rights advocate Kimberlé Crenshaw, who coined the term intersectionality, this celebration of solidarity, allyship, and community is spoken in the voices of children of varying backgrounds, abilities, and identities. Paper cutout–style images in bright colors show the children in empowering moments, described in upbeat, rhyming verse. Alejandra uses “a chair, but it doesn’t define me/ Instead, it allows me to zzzip/ glide/ and/ play.” A child called Kate, whose “friends defend my choices and place,” prefers a red cape to “skirts and frills.” Gloria, who speaks Spanish and English, describes herself as “a daughter, a partner, and an entrepreneur,” and Heejung, born in Seoul, helps her mother by “translating for her one word to another.” Spreads show allies helping each other in daily life, asserting their individuality, and standing together during protests, while repeating text urges readers to “make room for all.” Back matter and a discussion guide invite readers to learn more about intersectionality as a framework for understanding themselves, their peers, and their broader communities. A welcoming resource for conversations about equality and social justice that shows readers how identities are made up of myriad influences. Ages 6–12. (July)

Publishers Weekly

[A] celebration of solidarity, allyship, and community...A welcoming resource for conversations about equality and social justice that shows readers how identities are made up of myriad influences. —PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

Diversity takes center stage in this welcoming introduction to intersectional feminism, a joyous affirmation of how we are all connected. —TIME Magazine

The book’s core message...offers a memorable refrain caregivers and educators will be eager to integrate into daily mantras. Highly recommended. —SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (*Starred Review)

If ever a book belonged in every pediatrician’s office, clinic, daycare, shelter, classroom and home, this is it....a stunner of a primer in how to incorporate entirety....valuable for all ages. —LIT HUB

The concept of intersectionality...is broken down with ease and clarity...cheerful, vibrant. —Booklist

Here is a book to increase awareness of the beautiful and different life experiences of many...Front and back matter will aid further discussion and empower caregivers to confidently discuss our societal need for understanding and compassion for all. —Readertotz

This wonderful book addresses major social justice issues of our time in an accessible manner. The authors celebrate diversity and illustrate the advantages of attending to intersectionality. By “making room,” the children in this book create space in which each individual’s uniqueness can shine, brightening everyone’s lives. —DR. LAUREL WESTBROOK, Associate Professor of Sociology and co-founder of Sociologists for Trans Justice

From the Publisher

★ 07/01/2019

PreS-Gr 4—A cheerful, diverse cast of friends describe living the ally life in this progressive picture book. Told in simple rhyming text, the book shares the stories of each child in the group. Though they're all the same age, the friends are otherwise very different. Allie uses a wheelchair; her friends make sure she is included in all their games. Kate identifies as nonbinary; her friends make sure she feels safe in all spaces, including school bathrooms. Adilah wears her hijab proudly; her friends love and support her religious expression. Nia's family marches in a Black Lives Matter protest; all her friends join in solidarity. The Dakota Access Pipeline protests are also highlighted by Dakota and her tribe. Immigrant stories are included as well, with Gloria, Heejung, and Yuri sharing their experiences and receiving loving encouragement from their friends. Their unwavering support for one another helps readers understand what intersectionality means and looks like. The bright, sweet illustrations have a charming silk-screen look that perfectly complements the heartfelt snapshots of the kids. A foreword, an afterword, book notes, discussion questions, and a letter to adults thoughtfully elevate this rhyming story of solidarity. VERDICT The book's core message—"Where there's room for some, we make room for all. Friends can be allies no matter how small!"—offers a memorable refrain caregivers and educators will be eager to integrate into daily mantras. Highly recommended.—Abby Bussen, Muskego Public Library, WI

School Library Journal