There’s no newsletter this month, but I’ll be back in March to give you all my work updates. For now, I want to draw your attention to this SCBWI letter. I urge you all to sign it here. LETTER TO SIGN: Dear Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Our community of kids’ book creators and readers is calling out for solidarity and transparency. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is the deadliest for children in modern history. UNICEF, among other leading human rights organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, recognized that “there is no safe place for children in Gaza” and that this is a war against children. As the preeminent global community for children’s book creators whose mission is to, in part, “establish a more imaginative and inclusive world through the power of children’s literature,” many active, past, and prospective members of the community are struggling to feel a sense of inclusion and belonging when SCBWI remains silent. Currently, over a million children are being actively starved while the Israeli government refuses to permit aid into the Gaza strip. Children are being carpet bombed and sniper-attacked in the Israeli government designated safe zone, Rafah, with nowhere to escape. Thousands of children have been orphaned, wounded, undergone surgeries and amputations without anesthesia, and disabled. Palestinian libraries, schools, universities, and publishing houses have been decimated. Additionally, rising discrimination, hate crimes, and Islamophobia have added to the already difficult barriers to publication for Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim creatives. Many Palestinian kidlit authors report having had events and speaking engagements canceled, and many feel more intimidated and isolated than ever in our industry. I lend my voice in asking SCBWI to stand in solidarity with Palestinian children and all storytellers by speaking out. We call on the organization to commit to the following actions: - A collective statement in opposition to the massive and incomprehensible violence against children taking place in Palestine, Gaza, and the ongoing genocide in Gaza, with a call for ceasefire. - The establishment of a Palestine SCBWI, as creatives who have sought membership have been told to join Israel’s chapter. Due to Israel’s apartheid regime, this is impossible for Palestinian creatives. - Scholarships and free membership opportunities for Palestinian writers and artists. - Programming to uplift and support Palestinian perspectives and shared histories. SCBWI’s membership is composed of Palestinian writers and their many allies. Last month, thousands of publishing professionals signed the KidLit4Ceasefire letter to Biden (https://www.kidlit4ceasefire.com), urging him to call for an immediate ceasefire. This is an issue that we care deeply about, as do many others in the children’s book industry. We are asking you, as an organization that many of us have been proud to be part of, to take a stand with us and thousands of other children’s creatives. SCBWI rightfully has spoken about the Ukraine war, reaffirming its commitment to children's welfare, yet it remains silent amidst the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, described by various international organizations, including the UN, as a war against children in the deadliest conflict in modern history. As a community dedicated to fostering an inclusive and compassionate world through children’s literature, we urge SCBWI to stand in solidarity with all children and storytellers. We cannot maintain affiliation with an organization who does not speak out for all children.
February Newsletter
February Newsletter
February Newsletter
There’s no newsletter this month, but I’ll be back in March to give you all my work updates. For now, I want to draw your attention to this SCBWI letter. I urge you all to sign it here. LETTER TO SIGN: Dear Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Our community of kids’ book creators and readers is calling out for solidarity and transparency. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is the deadliest for children in modern history. UNICEF, among other leading human rights organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, recognized that “there is no safe place for children in Gaza” and that this is a war against children. As the preeminent global community for children’s book creators whose mission is to, in part, “establish a more imaginative and inclusive world through the power of children’s literature,” many active, past, and prospective members of the community are struggling to feel a sense of inclusion and belonging when SCBWI remains silent. Currently, over a million children are being actively starved while the Israeli government refuses to permit aid into the Gaza strip. Children are being carpet bombed and sniper-attacked in the Israeli government designated safe zone, Rafah, with nowhere to escape. Thousands of children have been orphaned, wounded, undergone surgeries and amputations without anesthesia, and disabled. Palestinian libraries, schools, universities, and publishing houses have been decimated. Additionally, rising discrimination, hate crimes, and Islamophobia have added to the already difficult barriers to publication for Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim creatives. Many Palestinian kidlit authors report having had events and speaking engagements canceled, and many feel more intimidated and isolated than ever in our industry. I lend my voice in asking SCBWI to stand in solidarity with Palestinian children and all storytellers by speaking out. We call on the organization to commit to the following actions: - A collective statement in opposition to the massive and incomprehensible violence against children taking place in Palestine, Gaza, and the ongoing genocide in Gaza, with a call for ceasefire. - The establishment of a Palestine SCBWI, as creatives who have sought membership have been told to join Israel’s chapter. Due to Israel’s apartheid regime, this is impossible for Palestinian creatives. - Scholarships and free membership opportunities for Palestinian writers and artists. - Programming to uplift and support Palestinian perspectives and shared histories. SCBWI’s membership is composed of Palestinian writers and their many allies. Last month, thousands of publishing professionals signed the KidLit4Ceasefire letter to Biden (https://www.kidlit4ceasefire.com), urging him to call for an immediate ceasefire. This is an issue that we care deeply about, as do many others in the children’s book industry. We are asking you, as an organization that many of us have been proud to be part of, to take a stand with us and thousands of other children’s creatives. SCBWI rightfully has spoken about the Ukraine war, reaffirming its commitment to children's welfare, yet it remains silent amidst the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, described by various international organizations, including the UN, as a war against children in the deadliest conflict in modern history. As a community dedicated to fostering an inclusive and compassionate world through children’s literature, we urge SCBWI to stand in solidarity with all children and storytellers. We cannot maintain affiliation with an organization who does not speak out for all children.