Programming Spotlight: Author & Activist Jamal Joseph

Dr. Joseph reads to students at Belmont from his memoir

Humanitarian, activist, veteran Black Panther, professor, director, playwright, filmmaker, author, poet,  screenwriter Jamal Joseph visited with students at Belmont yesterday.  It was impossible not to feel moved by his brilliant storytelling, hard-won insight, and deep compassion.  Two groups of placement students who have been studying the Black Panther Party for the last six weeks with their Social Studies, ELA, Art teachers and reading specialist, speech language pathologist and school librarian as part of an interdisciplinary collaborative unit participated in the program. 

 

We are extremely grateful to Dr. Joseph for making the time to visit and to Dietrice Bolden for all of her assistance, and to Robert Galinsky for connecting us and Literacy for Incarcerated Teens for generously supporting the visit.--Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Ain’t Burned All the Bright by Jason Reynolds, artwork by Jason Griffin

Jason Reynolds uses the aesthetic of magnetic poetry in this book-length poem of over 300 pages,   which is beautifully illustrated by Jason Griffin.   Give this to students who like their poems one book at a time,   and readers who hunger for an artist’s journal.  Perfect for lessons or library programs exploring what an artist and poet can create together.   This book can also serve as an example of how artists use notebooks,  and a model of how we can all write, paint, and draw to express our feelings. Included is a teaching guide by Amy Jurskis available here.   This book is highly recommended.

The audiobook of the book is 37 minutes long containing two readings of the poem - one by the author himself.    Following the two readings is a conversation with the author and the  illustrator. --Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Reynolds, Jason.  Illustrated by Jason Griffin.  Ain’t Burned All the Bright. accessed through the NYCDOE digital library platform, Sora.

p.s. Although I have not read it yet, I attended a wonderful D79 PD led by Passages' Denice Martin-Thompson on Friday and I am guessing her creative writing workshop guide, This 1 is for U, would make a lovely pairing and a perfect pandemic valentine's day gift for your favorite poetry teacher.

Revolution In Our Time by Kekla Magoon

In this comprehensive non-fiction work for adolescent readers that has the heft of a text book,  author Magoon takes a comprehensive  look at The Black Panther party.   While it will intimidate most student readers at Passages, the graphic design, writing, and back matter are top notch;  this volume is a good choice for instructional use in the classroom.  

Back matter includes information on key people, a timeline, a glossary, recommendations for further reading, source notes, a bibliography, image credits and an index. Included is a comprehensive teaching guide by Dr. Sonja Cherry-Paul available  here.  --Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Special thanks to everyone at the National Book Foundation and especially Andy Donnelly for gifting us with a boxful of copies of this informative book.

Magoon, Kekla.  Revolution In Our Time: The Black Panther Party’s Promise to the People.  Somerville: Candlewick Press, 2021.

Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas

 Maverick and Lisa are very much in love,  but during a brief breakup Mav spent one night with Iesha.   Now he is sure that Iesha’s three month old son isn’t his - so sure that he hasn’t told Lisa about that one night with Iesha.

Iesha asks Mav to take a paternity test to prove to her boyfriend King -  who is Mav’s best friend - that her baby isn’t Mav’s.  But after the test,  no one’s life will be the same. 

Themes of gang loyalty, family,  paternity, and incarceration are explored with unmatched emotional intelligence and humor.  Concrete Rose is a prequel to Thomas’ On the Come Up.  Recommended for all high school aged readers and perfect for book club discussions as well.--Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Thomas, Angie.  Concrete Rose.  New York: Balzer and Bray, 2021.