It's my 2nd blog post of the year, too!
I'll start with what is happening five days from now. Kidogo Productions is exceedingly proud to co-host Black Children's Book Week! Register here:
We are SO excited for the Live Show for Our Beautiful Brown Babies! Make sure to tune in with your kiddos on a laptop, desktop or iPad for the best experience.
Today, I did an IG reel to talk about the panel discussion. I am trying to convey what I believe to be part of the problem with color bias in children's media. I googled "bad evil characters in cartoons" and found plenty of examples [insert eye roll].
A few days ago, 2-20-2022 at 2pm, my piano students had their 2nd annual virtual piano recital. Thirteen of my 18 students performed during a watch party (my iMovie and Zoom skills came in handy!). Students, parents, friends and other family, all beamed with pride to see their loved ones "take the stage."
My daughter's birthday was on 2-2-2022. Though we had to have a hybrid celebration to maintain the health and safety of our friends and loved ones, she still had a fantastic time!
Interspersed between these awesome events, I was reminded of how small the world is. My work for Kidogo has teleported me around the country and the world, finding like-minded people. For instance, I recently connected with a children’s media rockstar at a virtual conference. This person lives in Portugal. She connected me to another children’s media giant in the US, who then connected me to some pretty dope people in Jamaica Plain and Cambridge.
This is the way networks work--sometimes you have to meet people who live far away to find the ones closest to you! These children’s media industry folks I have recently spoken to have a common thread: they talk about the long arduous process of getting good diverse content conceptualized, scripted, produced, and distributed. Their respective journeys to creating high-quality culturally competent content began for most decades ago. Their why keeps them in the game. Their why is grounded in a personal sense of purpose and sometimes pain. Their why has kept them from compromising their values even, as one person told me, in the face of a lucrative investment, which would have pulled them away from their mission. Their why and their journey is awe-inspiring.
Perhaps to a person who lacks conviction, hearing of some of the trials of those who have gone before me to revolutionize children’s content, would deter me, but NOPE, lol! I am grateful that I continue to meet people who are fighting the good fight. I know that I need to be extra diligent, extra prepared, and extra supported. This is where you guys come in, my friends! THANK YOU!!
For the kids, for the culture,
Keeana