Renee Watson and Ellen Hagan's Watch Us Rise is a super read for teenage activists. It carries a profound message. Sometimes the institutions that pride themselves on being on the cutting edge of diversity and inclusion...
...actually aren't. And, as co narrators and long time besties, Jasmine and Chelsea discover, they can be especially resistant to change.
The girls are part of a tight knit artist group. At their progressive school each student is required to join an after school club. Only the clubs they join turn out to be not so good fits.
"'Oh, please,' Jacob says, interrupting me for the second time. 'The classics are the classics for a reason, okay?'" he says, reaching out his hands and holding onto my shoulders like he's trying to school me.
"'Yeah, a racist reason. And by the way, stop talking over me,' I say, staring directly at Jacob and pulling my arms away."
Poet Chelsea wants to read current poetry and see how it can influence needed change. Her classmates and faculty advisor are stuck on the classics. When Jacob suggests that she doesn't belong in the club Chelsea walks out.
"'This is the August Wilson Acting Ensemble,' I say. 'Everything we do is about race. And it's not just about race for me--I am not going to be the fat black girl playing the angry, sassy woman--'"
When the faculty advisor for the drama club keeps insisting she play totally stereotyped roles, ignoring all her ideas, Jasmine doesn't need anyone to suggest that she leave; she's outta there.
Only one problem. They're required to be in a club. Rather than let someone place them in another club where they don't belong they decide to start their own: a writing club focused on women's issues. They enlist a faculty advisor and start a blog that resonates with people...
...seemingly all good...
...until a small controversy arises and the administration begins to micromanage the club and try to shut it down. This in itself would be challenging enough. But the girls are simultaneously dealing with a situation most adults struggle with. The first two paragraphs of the book:
"I'm [Jasmine] a month away from starting my junior year of high school, and I just found out my father only has four months to live.
I don't really hear all of what Mom and Dad are. Just the important words like 'cancer' and 'out of remission' and 'stage four.'"
This is where I add a trigger warning. For especially sensitive teens his decline and death might be too much. I was in tears several times. And I'm a grown ass adult.
Aside from that that one caveat Watch Us Rise is a really excellent read--truly engaging and thought provoking.
On a purrrsonal note, my second Etsy shirt arrived yesterday. It's a very soft pink sweatshirt that shows a cat napping on a pile of books and says "easily distracted by cats and books". Quite fittingly my one errand was going to the library to pick up inter library loans and I'd started the day off snuggling with precious Tobago.
A great big shout out goes out to 🐈 😻 s and librarians.
Jules Hathaway
Sent from my U.S.Cellular© Smartphone
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