Another Friday, another batch of links relating to diversity and race.
The Horn Book has been host to a debate on risk-taking, trouble-making, and realism in YA novels with black protagonists. Teacher Lelac Almagor starts us out with an essay on books for black kids teaching them to stay out of trouble and author Sharon G. Flake follows it up with an essay on the value of those books . It’s interesting reading, and both essays reinforce the idea that we need more books for and about African American youth.
NPR brings us a piece on Edward Perkins, the first black ambassador to South Africa—appointed during apartheid. The story explains the political realities that led to Perkins’s appointment and include the ambassador’s own recollections on meeting with South Africa’s white president.
Diversity isn’t just about race and ethnicity, and culture can be defined many ways. The Home Fires blog at NYTimes.com brings us a fascinating essay on differences between military culture and civilian culture, and the difficulties of transitioning between cultures.
Speaking of transitioning between cultures, the Times Magazine brings us an article on an inner-city public boarding school in Washington DC. As sixth graders, the students left their neighborhoods for the enclosed, academically-focused environment of the school; every weekend, they return to their neighborhoods. The article explores the way the students experience differences in language, attitudes, and expectations on campus and off.
Come back and let us know what these articles have you thinking—we’d love to extend the conversation in comments thread.
Have a great weekend!
