Queeny SimmonsAll of my life I've loved writing and reading black authors, authors who look like me. My favorite author growing up was Walter Dean Meyers. He painted a picture of blackness that I had never known. I'm a small town girl from rural Michigan, a mainlywhite community. The only place I found blackness was in my own home. Meyers wrote about a vibrant and enticing community deeply rooted and unashamed of their blackness. His writing gave me permission to explore what all my blackness could be, not limited only to what I saw or what my community told me I was. I was and am madly in love with that girl and her blackness. Writing like many other things is a gift and I allowed myself to lay it down for so many reasons. Today, I write to journey back to my first love. I am picking it back up without fear or reservation. I am writing the stories of blackness that I didn't see. I am writing for the next black girl who is looking to experience all her blackness can be. I am writing empowering and unique stories of blackness; the beauty in the black family, the excellence in the black community, and the limitlessness in our black children. This writing is healing me and I hope it plays a part in the healing of others. I'm writing our path to freedom and peace, starting with our children. Healing and wholeness is possible. You are beautiful, excellent, and limitless. I invite you to read this in every book and on every page that I've poured my heart into, hoping it would find you. Read More Read Less