Tonya Bolden has spent her career asking a powerful question: Whose stories are we telling, and whose are we leaving out? As an award-winning...
Posts About
Soul School
The Missing Stories in Black YA Literature
As I was selecting and organizing the book titles for Soul School, I was moving along smoothly—until I reached the high school selections. Suddenly,...
Why Black History Month Still Matters
It’s Black History Month, and with it comes an opportunity to celebrate, reflect, and press forward. But every year, I see conversations resurface...
The Heart of Soul School: How the Books Were Chosen
When I set out to create Soul School, I knew this would not be just another booklist. This collection of stories had to be different. I wanted to...
The Urge to Tell Our Stories
Storytelling has always been at the heart of Black American culture and life. Through song, poetry, dance, and prose, we’ve told the world who we...
Curating Soul School Booklists: A Labor of Love
Creating the book lists for Soul School was one of the most intricate and rewarding journeys of my writing life. I didn’t just compile a collection...
Why Mama Culture Matters
In the hustle and bustle of motherhood, where days often blur into a cycle of tasks, responsibilities, and care for others, it’s easy for mothers to...