Beyond the pages – standing up for diversity, our stories matter. Standing up for diversity, equity, and inclusion isn’t just the right thing to do – for me, it’s personal.
As a queer mom raising a vibrant and curious mixed-race ten-year-old, I’ve seen first-hand how representation shapes a child’s sense of self and belonging. Watching my child struggle fitting in and navigate a world that doesn’t accept families that aren’t traditional or follow the status quo, I realised how few stories represent stories like ours.
This gap in representation is why I write. “Sticks and Stones,” “I See the Moon and the Moon Sees Me” and “My True Colors” were written from a desire to create stories where children of all backgrounds can see themselves.
At the core of these books is Elijah, a young boy learning who he is and choosing to embrace his truth, just as my own child is doing. Through his journey, I want young readers to know they are enough, exactly as they are, and that their identities and experiences matter.
My own path – from transitioning out of Christianity to embracing Paganism, from self-discovery to intentional parenting has shown me the power of inclusion. I know what it feels like to exist outside the traditional narrative. It’s hard to navigate that as a now single mom relying on incentives that allow my son and I to have the same opportunities that others have. It’s sometimes easier to shrink back and not draw attention to myself.
As a white woman, that is a privilege I can hide behind, but I won’t. My son is watching me and is my reason for taking my own story beyond the pages and advocating in my community.
Being out at 40 and fully standing in my truths as a queer mom has made me aware of how transformative being seen, heard, and can be. Which is why here I am, an advocate for stories and rights that celebrate diverse identities and make room for others to discover who they are.
So diversity, equity, and inclusion are not just words but the identities and faces of the people that belong in our society and that will push our world onward. It’s more important now than ever to help make that world, where each and every child can feel safe, loved, and empowered. I do this through my writing, where I attempt to create that world, one story at a time.
