Therapist Dr. Thomisha Booker is on a mission of making sure that Black and Brown children are represented in children’s literature and parents of color begin to embrace conscious, gentle parenting.
How did the lack of representation of Black boys in children’s books inspired to launch your series?
I felt a huge responsibility to change narratives that exist for Black boys. My son attends predominantly White schools and I knew he was going to need tools. Becoming a mother was a very cathartic experience but it was also the catalyst for my creative expression. I needed my son to see himself on the front cover of books. I needed him and all Black boys to know their brilliance. I am inspired by Black children because they are our future and we must do everything we can to protect, educate, and love them.
Tell us about your book Brown Boy Joy.
Brown Boy Joy is a book about being a happy Black boy. The book is filled with affirmations and intentional imagery that immediately connects with children. Brown Boy Joy is a book that shows Black boys a true reflection of themselves. Inside the book I show little brown boys doing the things they love like gardening, playing with trucks, and coloring. Our joy is revolutionary, and Brown Boy Joy is a reminder of that. The adultification of Black boys has long term affects and this book is a tool that contributes to preserving their innocence.
Describe the feeling of having your work including the Netflix original series Bookmarks.
My book was chosen for Bookmarks because it aligned with the Teaching Tolerance Social Justice Standards in the Identify Domain. I write books focused on building up the self-confidence of Black children and Netflix recognized that. As the only self-published author featured on the show, it was confirmation that my work is accomplishing exactly what it was intended to do. Little Black boys internationally are seeing themselves on tv and that is something I will hold in my heart in perpetuity.
In what ways did your work as a licensed therapist influence your approach to writing?
Most of my clinical experience has been with children birth to five. As an early childhood therapist, I learned a lot about childhood development, which allowed me to understand the needs of children on a deeper level. My approach to writing is to create books that are age appropriate, engaging, and can be used as tools to support children. I started off my career using the tools of others to support children and now I create my own.
These days kids are highly exposed to toxic and negative images, do you think it is done by design?
Absolutely. Many of us do not know our history so we are easily influenced by these images. We accept negativity as truth because we aren’t connected to our African history. They want us to believe we aren’t worthy or that we are incapable. This gives them more space to appropriate our culture and continue to erase our history. This is why, it’s especially important to surround Black children with positive images of themselves and teach them their history.
Are there steps you think you should take to counter this trend?
We need to learn history, understand where we come from, and step into who we are meant to be. As much as possible we need to be in control of what our children our taking in. We can expose our children to shows and books with Black leading characters created by Black people. We can engage in dialogue about the negative images they are seeing and what they mean. We have to teach our children to question things. We must teach them our history so they can identify lies.
What would you suggest for those who are looking for way to use their writing to change the way Black youth are portrayed?
I suggest writing exactly what you needed to hear when you were a child or what you may still need to hear as you face so much anti-Blackness. Tell the story that is inside your heart. This is exactly what I did in my writing. I wrote love letters to my inner child. I suggest writing stories based in truth and highlight Black excellence. We need more Black writers to create stories for Black children. If you are thinking about writing a story, don’t spend too much more time thinking about it and go for it. You can’t release a book that you have written.
Having accomplished so much in such a short time, what’s next for you and Hey Carter! Books?
Hey Carter! is expanding into the event space. We are in the process of seeking sponsors for Brown Joy Festival which will occur in 2023. I have been curating social emotional based workshops and supporting children in age-appropriate conversations about diversity on a local level. These events are new for the brand. I also have a daughter now who is two and although Hey Carter! will remain primarily focused on boys, she will have her own line of books and accessories launching before the holidays.
Be’n Original
