SMP 2017 Summer Update: Borders, Books, and Babies!
Comics coach Santiago talks to Yesi about her contribution to upcoming graphic memoir collection.
It was our busiest summer yet here at Shout Mouse Press! Help us celebrate these summer highlights and look forward to all to come this fall.
“Comics Without Borders” Workshop Complete
For five weeks this summer, dedicated members of LAYC’s Latino Youth Leadership Council worked to turn their personal stories into an exciting concept for a book: Shout Mouse’s first graphic memoir collection. Now these insightful and powerful stories are on the page. The raw images have been digitized. And earlier this month the talented Team Comics started working on transforming these teens’ original art into polished visual stories. We’re so excited!
The book will launch this spring at the Virginia Festival for the Book. You can also read about Intern Barrett’s experience working as a story coach on the project here. We can’t wait for you to see the finished product! You can preorder it here.
We would like to thank the DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities for generously funding this project.
2017 Reach Books By Teens
For the fifth year in a row, the story coaches of Shout Mouse Press have facilitated a workshop with Reach Incorporated tutors to write diverse and inclusive children’s books. Thirteen young writers will become authors of four brand new books, coming this fall! The fifth edition of the Reach Incorporated Books by Teens series is set to be released on Thursday, Nov. 16. Read about Intern Eva’s experience during the writing process and learn more about the upcoming books and the illustrators here.
Beacon House Author on Kojo Nnamdi Show
Congratulations to The Day Tajon Got Shot co-author Najae Purvis and Tajon featured photographer and former Critical Exposure fellow Amir Price, who appeared on the Kojo Nnamdi Show on WAMU in June.
Najae and Amir joined founder Kathy to talk about the timeliness of Tajon for the #BlackLivesMatter movement.
Diane Yomkil is a 2017 Ballou High graduate.
Ballou Story Project V
Ballou High School celebrated a major accomplishment this summer: 100 percent of graduating seniors were accepted to college. Wow! We were so proud and humbled to be a small part of the incredible team at Ballou that made that feat possible. This year we are excited to continue our partnership with Ballou for our fifth year by supporting students with scholarship and college application essays. We’re cheering you on, Class of 2018!
ICYMI: “Our Lives Matter” Inspires Excel Academy
At the very end of the school year, Our Lives Matter authors, China, Amira, and Tyandra visited a classroom of middle school girls at Excel Academy. The students were so inspired by the honest and vulnerable collection of memoirs that they decided to write their own stories in a similar style. Check out their essays here, and join us in cheering in these brave young women as they continue their stories and begin high school this fall.
Baby Susi
And one more reason to celebrate…
Welcome to the newest member of the Shout Mouse family! Meet Susi, daughter of SMP founder Kathy, born August 19, 2017. Mom and baby are both doing great and appreciate all the love from SMP staff, authors, partners, and supporters everywhere! Susi can't wait to start listening to these stories… :-)