Author and educator Nancy Johnson James facilitated a workshop on sharing generational strengths and gifts with Eagle Academy: Congress Heights parents and staff on November 16, 2023. James is the author of celebrated picture books Black, Brown, and Blue. James opened the session by introducing participants to a doll-making activity she learned from her mother as a child. Through doll making, according to James, she learned about her family’s culture while cultivating a skill that can be passed down to her children.
To get audience members to reflect on the strengths and gifts that have been passed down to them, James asked the following questions: What is something that you do really well? Who taught you how to do this thing? How do you know you are good at it?
After a spirited discussion on lessons learned and gifts passed down through family traditions, James then asked participants to think about how to teach children to get good at something. Audience members talked about the process of learning, such as being observant, paying attention to details, practicing how to do something over and over, asking for feedback to improve, and understanding logical sequences.
After James’s session on sharing generational strengths and gifts, participants asked: How did doll making with your mother influence your writing and the creation of your children’s books? Why did you pick the colors black, brown, and blue for the titles and themes of your books?
James ended her session by stressing that just as doll making helped her learn to embrace her family’s culture, her books show readers how Black and Brown people and communities are beautiful, valuable, and worthy of celebration. She also stated that the colors black, brown and blue are directly related to her identity and culture and she wants to share these gifts with her readers.
What are important practices in your culture? How do you celebrate and share the things that you know? Are there any books that have helped you do this?