By: Chloe Shane
Books can empower individuals and connect families. The Mothers Matter Centre’s Adopt-a-Reader Campaign has been going on for many years so that children can explore new worlds together with their parents and learn valuable lessons by diving into the creative stories within the books.
The Girl Who Smiled Beads: A Story of War and What Comes After
This memoir is more relevant than ever because it emphasizes the human cost of war. Clemantine Wamariya’s The Girl Who Smiled Beads talks about the author’s journey as a six-year-old girl who is fleeing the Rwandan genocide in 1994. Together with her sister, Clemantine became a refugee in seven African countries over six years.
Though The Girl Who Smiled Beads serves as a sobering reminder of the impacts of war, Clemantine also encourages readers to transcend their painful experiences. Clemantine’s survival is a testament that you can rise again through your strength.
The Yellow House: A Memoir
Calamities and crises can be devastating, especially for low-income communities. Recognizing the impact of these events, Sarah Broom’s The Yellow House: A Memoir was hailed the 2019 National Book Award Winner as it illustrates how greed, discrimination, indifference, and poor urban planning can affect people. This memoir details how a hundred years of her family’s history was wiped away from the map during Hurricane Katrina.
After experiencing the devastating event, Broom uses her memoir to immortalize her mother’s struggle and her family’s endurance in their community in New Orleans. We hope this inspiring story will inspire you to continue standing up for your loved ones and community.
Unbowed
Wangari Maathai wears many feathers in her cap. She is a professor, environmental conservationist, political activist, and Nobel Prize winner. Maathai inspires readers through her book Unbowed where she talks about her fight for environmental conservation. Though she was captured and threatened by the Kanu government, Maathai stood her ground to provide hope for nature and her countrymen.
Maathai experienced struggles in her professional and family life, but she persisted. The story of her courage and persistence will remind you of the importance of your life’s purpose.
Unbound: My Story of Liberation and the Birth of the Me Too Movement
Inequality remains a significant social issue worldwide, which is why Tarana Burke fought for the Me Too Movement. In her memoir, Unbound: My Story of Liberation and the Birth of the Me Too Movement, Burke talks about the events that persuaded her to stand up and fight for women’s rights. Through her personal experiences, she realized that she had to be the one to speak up for the children who are suffering from inequality every day.
After learning about how Burke found her voice, you may also find the courage to fight for yourself and your community’s rights.
These authors are powerful and resilient women, just like you. By reading their memoirs, we hope you find the empowerment to speak your truth and rise above adversity.