Synopsis

Bold statements, compelling quotes, and thoughtful prompts lead young Black girls on a journey of ancestral wisdom and self-discovery in this beautifully illustrated guided journal.

I AM a voice for my people.  I CAN create my own opportunities.  I WILL live with hope.

These and other powerful mantras will enlighten, engage, and empower young Black girls to embrace their connection to a long, unbroken line of historical and contemporary Black women who have inspired people through the centuries and across continents. The courage, integrity, humanity, passion, and intellect that flows through the lives of these foremothers is each girl’s to discover, inherit, and enhance with her own accomplishments.

Meaningful quotes and biographies provide real-life examples of how readers can implement what they learn in their own lives. And guided questions and prompts lead girls through a process of self-reflection that acknowledges their own potential to inspire and lead.

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Review

I was sent an online version of the book to look through, and I wanted to share my thoughts on what I saw in the book.

This book combines a journal and the history of various influential and historical African American women. There are actors, scientists, astronauts, businesswomen, and more. There are journal prompts after each individual asking probing questions on how one might achieve the same as these women, what fears one might have, why you love yourself, and more. I appreciated that the women portrayed in this book covered a wide range of ages, including younger women who have made their mark in this world. I have to admit, I started to feel old when I saw some born around the time I was finishing high school!

While the target audience is young black women, I think any young woman would benefit from the history within the pages and the journal prompts. I learned about many women I had not heard of and their contributions to society and the world through their efforts. The journal prompts gave me a moment to reflect and wonder how I might answer the questions when I was younger and how the answers might change today as I am older.

This book is worthy of many young readers, and we give it 5 paws up.

About the Authors

Dr. Cynthia Jacobs Carter works in philanthropy at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. She is the author of the National Geographic books Africana Woman: Her Story Through Time and Freedom in My Heart: Voices from the National Slavery Museum, which was nominated by the NAACP Image Awards for Best Literary Work. Cynthia’s gift for storytelling brings alive the Black female experience for women of all ages. Having six granddaughters helps inspire her to celebrate young women. Holding a doctorate in educational leadership and a master’s degree in international education from George Washington University, Cynthia has connected especially with young women as an instructor and lecturer in Africana Women’s studies at GW and Georgetown Universities. While working in philanthropy at Howard University, she was curator for the exhibition “Women of the African Diaspora,” which toured the White House, the World Bank, and George Washington and Georgetown Universities. Cynthia serves with several local and national organizations and their boards, including The Links, Incorporated. As a development officer she has grown philanthropic programs at Africare, the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, and at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, where she founded the Harriet Tubman Legacy Society.

Ruth Chamblee is a publishing and marketing professional who leads the Content Marketing Strategy & Promotion team for National Geographic Kids Books. Her early career included brand management marketing at Richardson-Vicks, a division of Procter and Gamble, and membership marketing for the Smithsonian Institution Books and Recordings divisions. For more than three decades she has designed and carried out multifaceted strategic marketing initiatives for countless National Geographic books, and her guidance has helped bring new voices to and fill key niches in the children’s book market. She is a board member of the Children’s Book Council and Chairman of the Board for Every Child a Reader. Her vision for I Am, I Can, I Will arose from her realization that knowing and honoring our ancestors can contribute to self-awareness, self-empowerment, and self-love for her, her daughter, and all little Black girls.