Fam, This is my fabulous 2nd day cosplay costume. I wanted to be sure you saw the cats on my socks and shoes. I'm having so much fun promoting the drag show. 

My Monday Cosplay

The dress is from a yard sale. I'm having fun advertising the drag show. 

Pride Week is underway. Today was the flag raising. 

Children of a Troubled Time

     Fam, those of you who have stuck with this blog that long may recall that back in '19 we explored Margaret A. Hagerman's White Kids: Growing Up with Privilege in a Racially Divided America. I learned so much from it. So when I first learned of her Children of a Troubled Time: Growing Up with Racism in Trump's America I kept trying to borrow a copy by Minerva and MaineCAT to no avail. Finally I bought a copy because I believe you need to know about it. 

     Never let it be said I neglect you. 

     Hagerman calls bullshit where she sees it. She shreds the myth of childhood (or at least white childhood) as a time when kids are naive about grown up stuff (like politics) and need to be kept this way for as long as possible to keep them from experiencing negative emotions. Her interview subjects (10-13 year old kids growing up in Mississippi and Massachusetts) were very aware of current events and expressed quite strong opinions about them.

     Some of the white kids were quite troubled by Trump's 2016 win and the number of people who voted for him. They "had no idea the country was so racist". But they saw Trump as a disturbing aberration, a bad apple. Things would go back to normal when a good president was elected. 

     Some of the white kids were thrilled that Trump won and shared in his mission to make America great again. They felt that he was the only one willing to protect them against the bad people (such as Blacks, immigrants, and Muslims) who they perceived as out to hurt them, to take what was rightfully theirs. They made openly racist jokes, chanted "Build the wall. Build the wall." on the playground, and looked forward to enforcing Trumpian mandates as adults.

     For children of color the predominant feelings were fear and anxiety on two levels. Trump's win emboldened racists. The children experienced violence at the hands of their classmates and saw family members encounter violence in their communities. And they understood how Trump's policies have devastating consequences. Just try to imagine living with the daily fear of returning from school to an empty house because ICE has taken your parents. 

     Hagerman shows how encountering Trumpian influences in a time when the worst manifestations of white supremecy have gone mainstream can have devastating long term consequences for the children and our country if we don't do plenty to intervene. All of us that is. Because no less than the future of our nation is at stake. Fortunately she gives some well thought out ideas on what we can do.

     I recommend Children of a Troubled Time to everyone who gives a damn about raising kids who can resist racist thinking and actions, work to dismantle rather than reinforce racist systems, and participate meaningfully in a multicultural democracy. Remember it takes a village. 

On a purrrsonal note, at UMaine we're coming up on Pride Week. I'm looking forward to all the events. Of course the grand finale will be the drag show in which I'll be performing two numbers. All week I'll be rocking flamboyance, cos playing as my drag persona, Gotta Believe We're Magic, to publicize. Yes, I promise pictures. 

A great big shout out goes out to all who will participate this week.

Jules Hathaway 

     

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When You Look Like Us

     Jay and his big sister Nic have been through a lot in their young lives. Their father is dead. Their mother is in prison. It's the two of them against the world. 

     They live with their grandmother, Mimi, a decidedly stabilizing influence. She's a devoutly religious church member and hard worker who will do what it takes to help them achieve a bright future and make sure they don't  jeopardize it. When Nic goes from honor student to frequently truant underachiever things get tense in the house.

     When Nic doesn't come home Jay covers for her, sure she's crashing at her  boyfriend's place. As the days go by he searches for her until he decides to do what he considers the unthinkable...

     ...only to find that the police aren't any help. The first person he talks to at the station accuses him of filling a false report and the officer who interviews him makes it clear that finding another missing Black girl won't be a high priority for him...

     ...Leaving Jay to get into increasingly perilous situations as he searches desperately for Nic. 

     When You Look Like Us is a real cliff hanger of a chiller. It's a vivid social justice narrative. It's a tale of family and community...

     ...oh, yeah, and a quite unlikely romance.

     Once you engage yourself in the book you'll have a hard time putting it down. 

On a purrrsonal note, Friday I had another amazing day. I got to the point in drag rehearsing where I've nailed one song and am making progress on the other. On campus I went to an excellent lunch and learn On Indigenous people with food from Harvest Moon. I visited Amber. I went to International Student Association coffee hour featuring Iranian food. It was so good. Then I went to Family Night featuring the original Shrek. Finally Catherine and I participated in karaoke. Everyone was so engaged and enthusiastic. I got to do Only The Good Die Young and I Hope You Dance. Living my best life.

A great big shout out goes out to all who made this day possible.

Jules Hathaway 

     

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These are the treasures I acquired yesterday. Aren't they purrrfect?

All the Blues in the Sky (YA fiction)

"They know death comes and is not always fair.

Sometimes, it comes in a brutal chokehold at the hands of someone who is supposed to protect and serve, serve and protect. 

Sometimes, it comes in mangled metal wrapped around a street sign because someone was too drunk to know they were too drunk. 

Sometimes no one sees death coming."

     Sage's thirteenth birthday was a very special day. She was waiting for her best friend to come celebrate with a sleep over. But on the way over her best friend was killed by a drunk driver. 

     "my best friend died

     and it's all my fault."

     Now it's a month later Sage is dealing with the absence of this very important person. A huge hole has been torn in her life. She's being constantly hit with intense, complex, and confusing emotions. 

" I turned thirteen. 

My best friend never did."

     Sage is in an after school grief group with four other girls who lost a significant other--a father, a grandmother, a twin sister, a brother. Together they work to live in the face of overwhelming heartbreak and loss and the expectations of others for them to get back to normal.

"I want the days to slow down.

The more time passes, the more I am afraid

that I will forget her."

     Sage is candid and vulnerable. All The Blues In The Sky can offer youngsters coping with similar losses validation and comfort. 

On a purrrsonal note, I had an awesome Thursday. When I got to school I saw a pop up thrift shop selling clothes to raise money for a cause. Right on the front table--I could not believe my eyes--was a pair of flowered Van's high tops JUST MY SIZE!!! SCORE! I put them and got so many compliments! (Picture post tomorrow) Then I went to a really good lunch and learn. Finally I went to a make your own street sign thing. Only it was more like book marks. Catherine gave me a ride home so I could tote all my new library books. Living my best life.

A great big shout out goes out to all the people who contributed to my blissful day.

Jules Hathaway 

     

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When The Vibe Is Right (YA fiction)

     A lot of people are joining me in crossing library age lines in the realization that the most authentic, relevant, diverse, and inclusive fiction volumes are on the YA side. This is particularly true for that genre we call romance. Sarah Dass's When the Vibe Is Right is a prime example of this. 

     Every year in Trinidad the Carnival festival, held on the Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, is a very big deal. Costumes, both traditional and modern, play a major role in the celebration. Tess's family's business, Grandeur, is about costume designing, manufacturing, and selling.

     "For most people, those days of Carnival passed and then it was over. But for those of us who dedicated our lives to the festival, Monday and Tuesday were just the culmination of the rest of the year. Making Carnival costumes was an artform that took months of work, time, and commitment, and the process began days after the last festival ended."

     For most of her life Tess has been fascinated with designing and manufacturing costumes. She spends as much time as she is allowed to at Grandeur. Her ambition is to ruin the family business when her Uncle Russell retires...

     ...but there's a major problem. The costume business is highly competitive. Grandeur's major rival, Royalty, is kicking their ass. They haven't turned a profit in years. In fact if things don't turn around this year Russell has decided that it will be their last.

     Tess isn't about to give up on her family business and her dream. She can see salvation being achieved by a more creative and strategic social media presence. Unfortunately this is not in her skill set...

     ...and the person who could help the most, Brandon, is the classmate she can't stand being in the same room with. 

On a purrrsonal note, I just picked up a sort of costume--my graduation regalia: gown, cap, and the grad school stuff. I'm especially proud because the stroke didn't stop me from pursuing my dream.

A great big shout out goes out to my fellow class of 25 grads.

Jules Hathaway 

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