Dear Shout Mouse community, 

In this difficult and painful moment for our country, it is crucial that all of us, from any background, speak out against racial injustice in all its forms.

Shout Mouse Press condemns the ongoing state-sanctioned violence towards Black people across the nation. We stand in solidarity with Black communities, racial justice advocates, and all of you who are outraged by repeated acts of racism, violence, and abuse of public trust. We support the Black Lives Matter movement and share in their mission of combating white supremacy and "creating space for Black imagination and innovation, and centering Black joy."

We all have a role to play in the revolution of consciousness, justice, and systemic change that must come. As an organization dedicated to providing platforms for underheard voices, we recognize that our work has always been urgent. In fact, one of the many injustices that has led us to this moment is that of being unheard. It is the unconscionable repetition of this cycle -- racist violence, protests, lack of systemic change, repeat -- that compounds and intensifies the responses we see on our streets today.  

For our part, we will continue to amplify the voices of Black youth as experts on their lived experience, both through publication and through public speaking. We believe in the power of young people to speak bravely and to listen to one another in order to create a more equitable, just, and humane future. We commit to centering marginalized voices and to educating the next generation about inequity, social justice, and the essential work of being an anti-racist. We will not be silent. 

Young people are on the front lines of this fight, both metaphorically and literally. We honor their voices and champion their leadership. Our own authors have sounded this cry for justice repeatedly:

• When the tanks rolled into Ferguson, Missouri after the justice system failed Michael Brown, teen writers from Ballou High School began writing their memoirs. That effort became Our Lives Matter. 

• When the streets erupted in response to the back-to-back police shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, teen writers from Reach Incorporated wrote a children’s book in response: a story of Lions and Hyenas they called A Time For Change.

• And through the course of 22 months beginning in March 2015, during which time 165 unarmed people of color were killed by police, teen writers from Beacon House wrote an extraordinarily brave multi-perspective novel about prejudice and police brutality. They included every single name of those killed in their essential novel, The Day Tajon Got Shot.  

Tomorrow, those same authors of Tajon — ages 17 to 19 — will lead a discussion about their novel for four 8th grade classes in Fairfax County, VA public schools. At a time when we are all struggling for words, their character and sheer force of will to engage is humbling, and earns our deepest respect. 
 
We must not forget the names of those whose tragic loss has lit the latest fire for change — Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd. And we also carry with us these names that bring us hope for the next generation: Temil, J’yona, Najae, and Rose, who speak tomorrow, as well as the 300+ other authors with whom we have the honor to work.

As we all work together to bring justice, reconciliation, and lasting change, we encourage you to listen to Black voices and to commit to antiracism.  We continue to share resources including young people's reading lists, ways to talk about race, talking to kids about race, KidLit community conversations, and many more via our social media. We all have work to do, and we walk with you on that journey.   

In solidarity,

All of Us at Shout Mouse Press