>> Sasha Dowdy: Welcome
everyone.
Good afternoon, hi.
My name is Sasha Dowdy
and I work at the Library
of Congress Young
Reader's Center.
This is a special place for kids
within the library for kids,
teens and family,
everybody under 16 is welcome
and we're an awesome place
where you can start finding
out about the libraries
treasures and exhibits.
All day here at the Library
of Congress National Book
Festival we're recognizing
and celebrating the
importance of reading
and authors and books.
The Library of Congress makes it
seem easy to do this every year.
But the truth is the
National Book Festival is a
huge undertaking.
It's a huge financial
undertaking and it's free
for everyone because
of the general support,
generous support from our
sponsors and supporters.
Spread the joy of reading
with your gift online
at loc.gov/donate
from the festival app
or when you purchase
books today.
And now on to the main event.
I am here to introduce a
spectacular author Ms. Jewell
Parker Rhodes.
Ms. Rhodes, yes, please
give it up for her.
[applause] She is a
giant when it comes
to creativity and
creative writing.
She has a degree in drama
criticism, a Master of Arts
in English and a Doctor of
Arts in Creative Writing.
And she is the founding
Artistic Director
of the Virginia G. Piper
Center for Creative Writing
at Arizona State University.
So when you talk about
Creative Writing,
she knows so much about it.
She's overflowing.
And she's of course an author
of six books for grownups
and five critically
acclaimed books for kids.
And those are Ninth
Ward, Sugar, Bayou Magic,
Tower's Falling and Ghost Boys.
And Ghost Boys is the book that
we are all here to hear about,
a book about racial
prejudice and the history
of prejudice towards young
black boys in this country.
It's required reading
and it's something
that we absolutely need today.
So it is my honor to introduce
Ms. Jewell Parker Rhodes.
[applause]
>> Jewell Parker
Rhodes: Ok thank you,
thank you very much, thank you.
I am so excited to be here.
It's like a dream come true
because all my life I wanted
to write for you guys.
I wanted to write for youth.
So the fact that I'm doing it
now thrills me beyond measure.
Now I am very proud of my
Louisiana Girl's Trilogy,
Lanesha in ninth ward
surviving hurricane Katrina.
Sugar in the book, Sugar,
learning that you can be free
and see the whole wide world
and make friends with everyone.
And then Maddy in Bayou Magic
who has to save the plant life,
the sea life, the animal
life, from the BP oil spill.
I am proud of those
wonderous characters.
But those are stories that I
chose to write for children.
But there were two books
that I was asked to write
that each time I said nope,
I'm not going to do it.
The first book was
Tower's Falling.
My editor asked me
to write about 911
so that kids would have a
chance of what it was all about.
And I said no.
But the more I thought about
it, the more I thought that all
of you who are soon
going to grow up
and be voting citizens deserve
to know how our world has
changed, deserve to know
that we need to have a
country that remains true
to its democratic values
and that we don't change
because of tragedy but instead
we grow stronger and better.
Now Tower's Falling
is actually based
on a real school
in New York, PS146.
And all the teachers there they
actually saw the towers being
hit by the airplanes.
And the teachers
were so traumatized
that they swore they would
never, ever teach the story
of 911 to their students.
So this book was meant to
have them begin the journey.
Can you play it for me please?
[Background Music] It's actually
a mystery story where Deja,
who is a homeless
African American girl,
discovers that her father
was a victim of 911.
She doesn't know
that she's homeless
and that he's sick
because of 911.
She just feels alienated.
But her little brother
says no, we're a family.
We're strong together.
And when she goes to school her
teacher says what are all the
ways in which we're
interconnected?
Just like you are all
interconnected with your family,
your friends, living in
D.C., going to schools.
And this is my favorite where
Deja says family, friends,
me, we are all Americans.
Now in school she learns about
how the towers were built.
And she also sees for the
very first time the flames
on her friend Ben's computer.
And she and Ben decide we're
going to go to the 911 memorial
and they get on a subway
and there they see what America
is all about, multiethnic,
multireligious, multi-diverse
in all kinds of wonderous ways.
And at the memorial they see
the footprints of the towers
and they can imagine the
absence, the ghost towers.
And at the memorial, which I
hope you all get to go see,
you'll see water falling
down into the footprints,
reaffirming that life
rises, America rises.
And there is my splendid
Deja girl, her friend, Ben,
her friend, Sabeen and
her teacher Ms. Garcia.
And this is a book that I urge
you all to read and to talk
to your teachers
and parents about.
So I'm very proud
that I did that book.
And when I got done with this
book my editor said, Jewell,
why don't you write about young
men of color, children younger
than 18 being killed due
to racism and racial bias?
What did I say?
No, no way.
But again I thought about
it and I thought how all
of you young people are
going to be the change,
that all of you have
an opportunity
to make the world a better
place where everyone is judged
by the content of
their character
and not the color of their skin.
And I remember Emmett
Till being murdered
when I was just a little girl.
And then I was affected
by the murders
of Tamir Rice and
Trayvon Martin.
And so I created a
character named Gerome.
The novel talks about how
everybody needs their story
heard, everybody needs
their story felt.
And that we all connect across
time, that all of you are going
to make the world a better
place for the next generation.
So students, children,
feel your power.
Another part of the novel
is that you can't undo wrong
so bad things do happen.
So what do we want to do?
Do our best to make
things right.
Now I want to show you
this wonderous public
service announcement.
[ Truck running ]
>> Why? [inaudible]
>> Why?
>> Why are you following me?
>> Why my hoodie make
me look suspicious?
>> Why does my music
make me dangerous?
>> Why are people
that are supposed
to protect me attacking me?
>> Why you afraid of me?
>> Why do you think
I'm dangerous?
>> Why are we afraid of people
who are supposed to protect me?
>> Why can't I make a peace sign
without you labeling
it a gang sign?
>> Why does standing your ground
only work when I'm on ground?
>> Why do you show
this photo over this?
>> Why do you only
stop and frisk me?
>> Why do you have low
expectations for me?
>> Why can't I run down the
street without causing alarms?
>> Why do you think I'm a thug?
>> Why do you assume I'm armed?
>> Why is my mom scared
every time I leave the house?
>> Why are you targeting me?
>> Why am I a target?
>> Why?
>> Why?
>> Why?
>> I know why and
it has to stop.
>> It must stop.
>> Because I have dreams.
>> Because I can
change the world.
>> Because I will
make a difference.
>> Because I have feelings.
>> Because I am strong.
>> Because I am talented.
>> I have a voice.
>> I can find a cure.
>> I have goals.
>> I can leave the country.
>> I am determined.
>> I have a future.
>> Because I'm a scholar.
>> I am powerful.
>> I'm someone's friend.
>> I'm someone's brother.
>> I'm someone's son.
>> Someone loves me.
>> And because my
life matters too.
>> My life matters.
>> My life matters.
>> My life matters.
>> My life matters.
>> My life matters.
>> All lives matter.
>> And so did theirs.
[ Sirens ]
>> Jewell Parker Rhodes: Ghost
Boys talks about yes, applaud.
It's beautiful.
[applause] It talks
about bearing witness.
And this filmmaker, Kerry Davis,
is bearing witness how
art can make us understand
tragedy better.
My novel seeks to help us
understand racial bias better
so that children can
help be the change.
And in this story there's
a whole crew of ghost boys,
Emmett Till, Trayvon Martin,
Tamir Rice, and the only person
who can see the ghost boys
is Sarah, the daughter
of a white police officer.
And Sarah is going to be the
one that helps make the change,
that helps make the
world a better place.
The novel ends with these last
words, Jerome, the ghost boy,
saying, bear witness,
my tale is told.
Wake, only the living can
make the world better.
Live and make it better.
Don't let me or anyone
else tell this tale again.
Peace out, ghost boy.
[applause] Thank you,
let's hear some questions.
Yay, thank you.
Now we can go, oops,
oops, I messed it up.
Questions?
Yes, sir?
>> What inspired you
to make Ghost Boys?
>> Jewell Parker Rhodes:
You know I am the mother
of a black son and my boy
has the sweetest, warmest,
most wonderful heart
and personality.
And as he grew older people
would make projections
of stereotypes upon him.
They would see him
in a negative way.
And it just broke my heart.
And I wanted to make a
book that bore witness
that nobody should
ever judge anybody
out of fear, out of prejudice.
And so I'm helping to make
the world better for him.
And I'm hoping you guys will
help make the world better
for all the world's,
other children of color.
>> Oh and do you remember me
from the Frederick
Public Library?
>> Jewell Parker
Rhodes: Yes, I do.
I can't see as well because
the light is in my face
but do you know for the kids
who come to see me it's almost
as though your images, your
words, become part of my heart.
And it's like I have this idea
that when I maybe dying one day
that I'm going to call on all
the images of all the children
that I've ever met and all the
stories they've ever written me
and hold it and press
it close to my heart.
So thank you.
>> Thank you.
>> Jewell Parker Rhodes:
Can I have a hug later?
Thank you.
Yes, over here?
>> When you thought of the
idea, how old was your son?
>> Jewell Parker Rhodes:
Well how old was my son?
>> Yeah.
>> Jewell Parker
Rhodes: My son is,
I started writing the
book when he was about 25.
And he's now 28.
And actually he's
studying a Master's
in nursing program in Baltimore.
So I'm really, really happy
that he is using his life
to help people who are ill
and to make a difference.
But we talk about
race and stereotyping.
We talk about how you can make
a difference by making sure
that you don't become
bitter or so sad.
You have to be triumphant.
You have to live
and make it better
and believe in that always.
Right on? Right on.
You're so beautiful.
Yes?
>> Hi, I have two questions.
My first one is
>> Jewell Parker
Rhodes: Is this Mary?
>> Yes.
>> Jewell Parker
Rhodes: Hi, Mary.
>> My first one is
who inspired you
to be the person you are today?
>> Jewell Parker
Rhodes: My grandmother.
My grandmother raised me from
the time I was an infant.
And my grandmother filled me
with so much love
and so much wisdom.
And she'd say Jewell
everybody in the world is
as good as anybody else.
We're all a mixed blood stew.
She'd also say Jewell,
child, do good
and it will fly right
back to you.
And she also said Jewell, child,
wear clean underwear always.
[laughter] The grandmother
on hot summer nights
would tell me stories.
And I think she was
the first storyteller
that really had an impact on me.
Now my grandmother in those era,
she never finished
the third grade.
She didn't know how to
read books or write books.
But she worked hard so that
I could become educated
so that I could read
and write books for you.
But grandmother was the wisest,
most wonderful woman
I've ever known.
So number two, Mary?
>> My second question
is why was Sarah able
to see Jerome instead of Kim?
>> Jewell Parker Rhodes:
You know the reason why Kim
doesn't need to see Jerome is
that Kim is very much connected
to her grandmother who believes
in every good goodbye ain't
gone, that African spirits
and ancestors are
a part of her life.
So Kim knows that
from her grandmother.
She also now has Carlos,
the young Hispanic guy
who gave Jerome the gun
that caused the incident
to be misconstrued by
the police officer.
And Carlos has the day
of the dead which is just
like every goodbye ain't gone.
And he doesn't need
to see Jerome either
because he knows spirits,
the afterlife, the presence
of good souls, are
always with us.
But Sarah's tradition,
she didn't have
that cultural spirit
of tradition.
She was left without it.
So Jerome has to teach her, no,
if you live your life believing
that you can bear witness,
that you can honor the dead,
you will live a better life.
So she needs to learn that.
And that's a way in which
African American heritage,
Hispanic American heritage, all
infuse her as a young white girl
to make the world
a better place.
I think that's pretty cool.
Don't you, Mary?
>> Yes.
>> Jewell Parker
Rhodes: I do too.
Good.
>> Thank you.
>> Jewell Parker
Rhodes: Thank you.
Yes sir, oh is it sir or a girl?
I was looking, it's
a girl, I was looking
at the guy behind you.
>> What gave you the
idea to become a writer?
>> Jewell Parker Rhodes: You
know I always wrote stories
because my grandmother was
always telling me stories.
But it wasn't until I
was a junior in college
when I saw my first book
written by a black woman author.
And it was like, wow,
black women write books?
I didn't know that.
I didn't know black men wrote
books or the people from Africa
or Chile or all over
the world wrote books.
But once I discovered that,
once I could see my culture
in a book I switched
my major to English
and I started writing
seriously and professionally.
And in particular I fell
in love with Louisiana
which has all kinds
of wonderful ghosts.
>> Because I wanted to tell
you that I write books too.
>> Jewell Parker Rhodes:
You write books too?
I am so proud of you.
Never doubt for a moment
that because you're young
that you can't do great work.
I know a lot of young writers
who have been published.
There's also a market,
children's market,
for young writers.
And they're also online in
print magazines that look
for young people's writing.
And with my own kids, they went
to a high school for writing
and there're actually,
did you know scholarships
to college for writing stories?
So you get a teacher, your
parents, or if you ever want
to you can email me, there
are a lot of opportunities.
So if you want to go out there
and publish a book I'm going
to be the first one
in line to buy it.
>> Ok.
>> Jewell Parker Rhodes: Ok?
Ok, thank you.
[applause]
>> What inspired
you to write Sugar?
>> Jewell Parker Rhodes:
Sugar, I have been going
to China every year for about
five years teaching the Chinese
how to do creative writing.
And a friend of mine sent me a
book saying that in Louisiana
and Mississippi during
reconstruction they brought
in Chinese workers to
work the plantations.
So a lot of African Americans
newly free, they went north,
so they had a labor shortage.
But these Chinese were
treated sometimes as bad
as if they were slaves.
They were treated
just horrifically.
And so in my story
Sugar is the young woman
who brings together
the Chinese workers
with the remaining
African workers.
She also is the one that reaches
out to the former
master's white son.
And she brings them all
together in a community of love,
in a community of freedom.
One of the things that I
hadn't really sort of impacted
or known well was that America
historically has had many
different times or
different immigrant groups
at first might have been welcome
but at other times
was pushed out.
So this enabled me
to tell a story
where the Chinese
were not allowed
to become American citizens.
We had the Chinese
Exclusion Act.
And it seemed to me appropriate
to have a newly freed slave
girl whose filled with the power
of civil rights wanting
to be there and be friends
and advocate for
the Chinese as well.
So it was just a happy accident.
Anything else?
Yes?
>> How old were you when
you started writing?
>> Jewell Parker Rhodes:
Probably about seven years old.
And during high school
I wrote a lot
of poetry and it was terrible.
When I was in high school
I had a big afro, this big.
And I used to wear
Dashiki's and love beads
and write really bad poetry.
It wasn't until I was in
college that I had the chance
to open a cookbook that told
me about a voodoo queen,
that told me about the magic
and mystery of New Orleans,
that I began to just
write from my imagination.
And it's been a lovely
journey ever since.
But writing for youth, writing
for you, absolutely the best.
Thank you.
[applause] Any other questions?
I've got perhaps maybe two
minutes before I say goodbye
to all of you.
And I want to encourage
all of you young people,
you know when people say I want
to be a writer, how do I do it?
Well the very first
thing you do is read
and read and read some more.
Because as you're reading you're
learning about styles and ideas
and plots and things
that you like.
And they all go inside you.
And one day when you start
to write a story you will
actually start drawing
that out of you.
Secondly, never ever believe
that your experience
isn't worthy of a book.
Everything about you,
everything you do,
everything you will do
can be written in a book
and shared with someone else.
It's an act of love, an
act of communication.
And did you guys know
I'm a grandmother?
I have Claire, Claire
is two years old.
So you know who Claire
is buying books from?
Maybe all of you guys.
We need you.
We need diverse books.
We need all stories.
So grow up, read and write
and make the world better.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
[applause]