I was invited to speak at the 6th annual commencement for the NAACP Back-to-School-Stay-in-School. It was an incredible honor to share some words of hope with the 28 graduates from this life-changing alternative program! 28 students expelled from the public school district made a way out of no way!

Last night I got to hear Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings speak @illinoisstateu.bsky.social She is brilliant, funny, and invested in the success of our children. #CRP #CulturallyResponsivePedagogy #CulturallyResponsive #KnowBetterDoBetter

Don’t forget to vote today. The primary election is where you vote can make the greatest impact. #YourVoiceMatters #YourVoteMatters #ElectionDay #Primaries

So many great things happening this month in all of our schools. Also, I feel like it’s been a minute since I have announced that I love my job. It’s true. I love my job. #ILoveMyJob #BlackHistory #BlackFuture #BlackEverything #ABlackGirlWillSaveTheWorld

Picture books are for everyone! Shirley Chisholm Dared: The Story of The First Black Woman in Congress is written by @authoraliciadwilliams and @aprilwharrison and celebrates the courage and heart of one of my heroes—Shirley Chisholm. #BHM #BlackHistory #BlackWomenInHistory #ShoutOutToBlackWomen

Picture books are for everyone… Including you. I Am Enough is written by @ladygracebyers and illustrated by @keturahariel “Like the sun, I’m here to shine.” I am enough, and so are you. #IAmEnough #Representation #PictureBooksAreForEveryone #BlackHistoryMonth #BHM

Picture books are for everyone. BIG is a phenomenal picture book written and illustrated by the brilliant and beautiful @vashtiharrison.bsky.social #WordsMatter #RepresentationMatters #BlackHistoryMonth #BlackAuthorsMatter #PictureBooksAreForEveryone

Bebé Antirracista es un libro de cartón que comparte los nueve principios del antirracismo escritos por @ibramxk.bsky.social. Por ejemplo, debemos centrarnos en las políticas, no en las personas. Las ilustraciones son de Ashley Lukashevsky. ¡Todos deberían aprender sobre antirracismo! ¡En español!

I Heard: An American Story is a picture book written by J Nailah Avery and illustrated by @juststeffiart.bsky.social This gorgeous picture book tells a story of origin and roots, pain, rising up, and healing. #BlackHistoryMonth #HopeAndResilience #PowerOfStory #Storytelling #Diaspora

Picture books are for everyone. There Was A Party For Langston by @jasonreynolds83.bsky.social and illustrated by @wjpumphrey and @jpumphrey celebrates the brilliant poet Langston Hughes and his LOVE for words. #BlackHistoryMonth #BHM #Representation #LangstonHughes #PictureBooks

Picture books are for everyone. The Other Side is written by @jacqueline_woodson (Aye! Today is her birthday!) and is illustrated by the artistrator @e.b.lewis. Clover and Annie live across the fence and are not allowed to go to the to the other side. #ComeTogether #BHM #Friendship #BreakBarriers

Today is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. Of course I am still going to feature a picture book! Hidden Figures was written by @margotleeshetterly.bsky.social and illustrated by @laurafreemanart #WomenInScience #BlackWomenInScience #BlackWomenMatter #BHM #STEM

Keira and Bianca are best friends at school. Outside of school, they are not allowed to play together. That Flag is written by the gorgeous @tamekafryerbrown.bsky.social and illustrated by the artivist @4nikkolas.bsky.social #BlackAuthorsMatter #BlackIllustratorsMatter #Healing #BlackHistory #BHM

Missing Mama by @armyvet5.bsky.social and illustrated by @rahele.bsky.social is a beautiful picture book about PTSD. Momma comes back from army deployment. Some days she’s sad and can’t bring her “sunlight spotlight smile.” #BlackAuthorsMatter #MentalHealthMatters #BHM #PTSD #BlackMomsMatter

Wait! Did the racists really create their own segregated halftime show? Are they really that bothered by an American citizen who might sing some of his songs in Spanish? What’s next? Separate water fountains? Separate schools? Oh wait, we did that before.

A little more picture book love and love of “the other game.” HOOP QUEENS 2 by @crs2fit features poems about some of our favorite women in basketball. There’s a lot of good ones, and my favorite is CP—a poem about Candace Parker. #Poetry #Basketball #BlackHistoryMonth #WomenInSports #Representation

Saturday Magic: A Hoodoo Story by @writingtochangethenarrative and @kenda_bell (illustrated by @sawyercloud01) is a sweet book about Dayo who spends the day recognizing the presence of her ancestors. #RepresentationMatters #BHM #Diaspora #Ancestors #Joy

Picture books are for everyone. -Crown: Ode to the Fresh Cut -I Am Every Good a Thing written by @authorderrickdbarnes and illustrated by the oil-painting, gallery-filling, uses-every-color-but-brown, fine-artist @gordoncjamesfineart #GoodToTheCore #BHM #BlackHistoryMonth #RepresentationMatters

Picture books are for everyone. This beauty, written and illustrated by Javaka Steptoe, tells us about the life of Jean-Michel Basquiat. I love it when one of my favorite artist writes and draws about one of my favorite artists. #Basquiat #PictureBooks #IllustratorsMatter #BHM #BlackHistoryMonth

Picture books are for everyone. Magnolia Flower is an @ibramxk.bsky.social adaptation of a folktale written by @zoranealehurstontrust Don’t miss the gorgeous illustrations by @loveiswise.bsky.social #PictureBooksAreForEveryone #MagnoliaFlower #BHM #RepresentationMatters

Picture books are for everyone. This month, I will try to feature some of my favorites each day. #PictureBooksAreForEveryone #BHM #BlackHistoryMonth #AbolitionIsLove @syrusmarcusware.bsky.social and Alanna Fricker

This is the beautiful face of sweet Sonya. The thug who murdered her was sentenced to 20 years. All of my social media feeds are filled with his face, and I don’t want to see it. In an effort to make the world a more beautiful place, I’m posting the beautiful face of Sonya. #SayHerName #SonyaMassey

Listening (and taking notes) as Dr. @cmkoudelka.bsky.social presents on the bridge between humanity and AI. @midstatereading @ilreadcouncil

Making vision boards for 2026. Big hopes! Big dreams! Big plans!

I’m usually more of a sunset girl, but I’m waking up to the idea of a great sunrise. #WakingUp #AllThingsNew #NewActions #Transformation #Praxis

2025 Gratitude List Neuroplasticity—Healing is possible! It’s really hard work to transform our minds, create new patterns, and heal from wounds that wired our nervous system decades ago. It’s really hard, but it is possible. I know. I’m doing it. Just so you know, healing and thriving is awesome.

Two presentations, a suitcase full of books, countless hugs, and a fulfilled mind and heart. NCTE in Denver has been just what I needed! #NCTE25 #DreamBoldly

A little central Illinois #AuroraBorealis #NorthernLights