The Love of 10,000: Gift-A-Book Campaign

The last time I did a book drive of any kind was in the early 2000’s when I had people drop off books at my office at the University of San Diego. It was almost comical to watch how I fit the large boxes into “Birdie,” my little Honda Civic Hatchback (it reminded me of a little red Robin, thus the name). I was so proud dropping off books to our local juvenile center for our youth, reminding them they were not forgotten, their futures mattered and they were loved.

Times have certainly changed. I no longer have Birdie and dropping off boxes myself are a thing of the past. Now, I write books and we have these newfangled social media platforms and online crowdfunding (insert a picture of me waving my walking stick)!

SHOWING LOVE TO 10,000 READERS

With that said, I am excited to announce that we launched our “Love of 10,000” Gift-A-Book Campaign this week! It has taken some time for me to stand this campaign up due to some of the challenges we experienced in the last few years. I have been candid about the healing journey my teenager and I have been on and now it is time to share with all of you the fruits of that journey!

The poem I wrote on my late sister’s birthday on July 15, 2017 has been more than words of affirmation for our youth. This book has helped adults—myself included–love on their inner child through its kindness and healing curriculum. The poetic premise for the book comes from none other than Mother Ancestor, Dr. Maya Angelou. In her poem “Our Grandmothers,” Mother Maya writes:

Into the crashing sound,

into wickedness, she cried,

No one, no, nor no one million

dare deny me God.

I go forth alone,

and stand as

ten thousand.

Please watch the video below to learn more about the stories and inspiration in the Behind The Scenes of our book:

We have already hit the ground running with the campaign! We have reached 712 readers and we are just getting started!

I am hopeful that the youth and families that receive this book will be reminded of the legacies of love that surround them every day. I am also hopeful that our work will support literacy in our communities, while also providing access to resources to support the mental and emotional wellbeing of our “#nextgenleaders.

Some may ask “Kecia what’s the connection between a children’s book and your platform?” Simple: Our mental, spiritual and emotional wellness are directly connected to love, justice and liberation. My view is that our healing and the healing of our youth are part of our generational inheritance. I believe our collective thriving has always mattered to our ancestors. The offering of my book is my way of honoring and investing into that generational inheritance.