Okay, so we’ve covered the importance of diversity. Now let’s flip the topic on its head and talk about the thin line of “exclusion.”
When I’m speaking on behalf of The Brown Bookshelf I don’t believe I’m excluding my white counterparts. 9 times out of 10 I’m merely trying to get our names and books mentioned along with everyone else’s.
However, because I travel in a variety of kid lit circles and have writer friends of all racial and ethnic backgrounds, I often feel like I’m constantly waving the race flag even as I’m saying – I just want my books to be seen as teen books not exclusively black teen books.
Can an author have it both ways?
Can a brown author both wave the flag bringing attention to the fact that they’re a brown author and that of “it’s just a teen/PB/MG book?”
Or is that double dipping?
The day that more books by brown authors are simply “a book,” is that success?
I realize, this part of the discussion has even less of a solid answer than Part 1. But I welcome all healthy discussion.
The Brown Bookshelf is designed to push awareness of the myriad of African American voices writing for young readers. Our flagship initiative of is 
The only way for a Black man to successfully run for president was just as a man running for president. Yet now, race is more a topic of discussion than ever.
I think so. I always find it interesting that all the other art forms easily translate – like music and dance, but there has always been this gap with literature. Good writing is Good Writing.
Been out of town and just returned — you bring up some very good questions and discussion. Thinking about them… and I really don’t have answers but these are points I ponder myself…