CCBC-Net Archives
Re: Multicultural Literature, continued
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From: Debbie Reese <dreese.nambe_at_gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 05 Feb 2014 15:28:56 -0600
It isn't, an either/or conversation, Betsy, but the scales are heavily weighted on the white/privileged/heterosexual side. In an earlier email here on CCBC I noted that you understand these issues more than most people out there. You are.
As that discussion took off, an illustrator said that she noticed that her first two books were all-white. So in the next ones, she changed that. I pulled up her books and noticed that yeah, she did change them, and they are what people are looking for (people that just happen to be POC), but the other thing that leaped out at me is that it was a lot like the early criticisms from people who were calling for change. By that, I mean that in the early attempts to bring POC into children's books, the illustrators just used a different color of ink when they did their illustrations. There was no variation.
Having said THAT, I know that I'm inviting people to say "well how would YOU" draw them? It'd be back at that damned if you do/damned if you don't place where there are no easy answers.
But we've been there for, what, 40 years?
Debbie
__________________________________________________________ Debbie Reese, PhD Tribally enrolled: Nambe Pueblo
Email: dreese.nambe_at_gmail.com
Website: American Indians in Children's Literature
_at_ http://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.net
Now: Studying for MLIS at San Jose State University Then: Assistant Professor in American Indian Studies, University of Illinois
Date: Wed, 05 Feb 2014 15:28:56 -0600
It isn't, an either/or conversation, Betsy, but the scales are heavily weighted on the white/privileged/heterosexual side. In an earlier email here on CCBC I noted that you understand these issues more than most people out there. You are.
As that discussion took off, an illustrator said that she noticed that her first two books were all-white. So in the next ones, she changed that. I pulled up her books and noticed that yeah, she did change them, and they are what people are looking for (people that just happen to be POC), but the other thing that leaped out at me is that it was a lot like the early criticisms from people who were calling for change. By that, I mean that in the early attempts to bring POC into children's books, the illustrators just used a different color of ink when they did their illustrations. There was no variation.
Having said THAT, I know that I'm inviting people to say "well how would YOU" draw them? It'd be back at that damned if you do/damned if you don't place where there are no easy answers.
But we've been there for, what, 40 years?
Debbie
__________________________________________________________ Debbie Reese, PhD Tribally enrolled: Nambe Pueblo
Email: dreese.nambe_at_gmail.com
Website: American Indians in Children's Literature
_at_ http://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.net
Now: Studying for MLIS at San Jose State University Then: Assistant Professor in American Indian Studies, University of Illinois
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Received on Wed 05 Feb 2014 03:29:32 PM CST
