The Talk

Foreword
 
There are many reasons why parents and caregivers share “The Talk” with children. For some, it’s to prepare their daughter for the challenges she will surely face because she is female. Others have “The Talk” because of their youngster’s sexual orientation. Immigrant parents have few options but to have it. And many have it because their son or daughter chooses to pursue an occupation, join a team, or participate in an organization where they were not often welcome because of their
physical appearance.
 
The list goes on. There are myriad versions of “The Talk” because there are myriad ways to be human. And we wish we had the space to capture all of these conversations within these pages, because we know they are happening and we know people are hurting. This collection focuses on race, but we hope our readers see the words and images shared here as a starting point and a way we can all begin to build a more accepting world for each other.
 
In our home, we had “The Talk” with our daughter, Katura, and our son, Stephan. Many times. As adults responsible for two beautiful Black children, we knew how essential it was to give them the tools to make their way as safely as possible in a society that is too often hostile to them simply because they are African American. Especially as sometimes that hostility leads to the loss of Black life. So we drummed into them the dos and don’ts, the places to go and places to avoid, what to say, what not to say, and even how to say it. Just as our parents did for us. We desperately wanted to keep our kids protected, but we also didn’t want to erode their positive self-esteem or sense of place in the world. Our talks were balancing acts indeed.
 
We can only imagine the kinds of talks that occur in homes and schools today because so many of us are being picked on, pushed aside, told we don’t belong, or told to go back to where we came from. But we knew a group of people who would have that knowledge firsthand.
 
The outstanding writers and artists whose work is featured in this anthology are intimately familiar with these crucial discussions and know just how important they can be. “The Talk,” as much as any conversation can, helped them become more aware and better equipped when faced with the challenges the world threw at them—challenges that their parents and loved ones anticipated. They share their experiences and the impact “The Talk” has had on their lives as well as the lessons they have passed on to their own children.
 
In these pages, the authors and illustrators use different forms and styles. There are letters, lists, poems, short stories, and essays. Illustrations are rendered in watercolor, collage, pen and ink, acrylic, comix frames, and digital styles. And their messages are as diverse as their mediums.
 
These revealing and frank moments expose lessons of empowerment and periods of shame, times when the contributors were told they were small and instances when role models insisted they were born to be big. With advice and love, harsh realities and encouraging words, the talks offered in this anthology are real conversations that embrace honest ways of thinking that help expand ourselves and others in a complex and diverse society. Too frequently, we are silenced from having tough conversations because we feel we don’t have the words. But what these award-winning creators of books for children and young adults share in this collection are stories and images that are filled with love, acceptance, truth, peace,
and an assurance that there can be hope for a better tomorrow and a better future for all of us. So, let’s talk.