Reading is Resistance

My battle cry lately has been “Rest is Resistance,” inspired by Tricia Hersey (AKA The Nap Ministry).

“It would be smart for us to not

Turn our backs on rest and care

We cannot afford

To be exhausted and disconnected!

We do the work for them when we

Are afraid of our own power.”

- Tricia Hersey, Rest is Resistance

The news is doing the most these days. I’m exhausted. Navigating how to stay informed, when to get involved, and how to prioritize my peace is something I’m still trying to figure out. Making things has always been my way of processing and making sense of the world, and expressing whatever is on my heart and mind. That’s why I was so excited when The Rabbit Hole invited me to design a print with the theme “Reading is Resistance.” The first thought that came to mind was a line from one of my picture books, Last Stop on Market Street.

The author Matt de la Peña writes, “They sat right up front.”

This feels like a subtle but intentional move on Matt’s part to invoke a bit of history. It only made sense to use an image of Nana and CJ, doing two things that were once illegal, and acts of resistance, for Black people in the US — reading, and choosing to sit in the front of the bus.

There is currently a concerted effort to ban books and limit access to ideas in the US. Black history is being removed from curriculum in several states. Books of my own, picture books that celebrate the lives and impact of famous Black people, have been found in trash cans outside schools, literally.

My response is that books are treasure, not trash. My question is, what about these particular stories, which just happen to be mostly written by BIPOC / LGBTQIA+ folks, are unfit for kids? Book bans feel disrespectful to young readers — it sends the message that adults do not respect the intellectual capacity of children. As if young people are not already aware on some level of what's going on in their families, in their schools, and in their communities. I believe we do young people a disservice when we don’t give them tools to process and make sense of their world. I think what needs to get more attention and focus is the librarians and educators who are risking their livelihoods to make sure books get into the hands of children, and ensuring that schools are safe and welcoming places for all.

“In order to fly, you need resistance.” - Maya Lin

Making the Print

Screenprinting has always been a mystery to me. I think the technique used to make this print might be closer to relief printing. All I know is that Devin Goebel, the Rabbit Hole’s print shop manager extraordinaire, is a genius!

I’m so amazed by the way he brought this print to life. After coming up with my concept, I sketched it out and crafted an image using paint and collage. One of the things I love most about screen printing is the limitations. I was only allowed to use four colors, at most. I enjoyed the challenge of creating an image with a limited color palette. After blocking out the shapes and colors, I made a layered digital file and shared it with Devin. He worked his magic and ran a limited edition of 300 prints, two of which I will be giving away to a few of you.

***Print Giveaway***

(CLOSED TO NEW ENTRIES AS OF 3/28)

I would like to gift two signed copies of the Reading is Resistance print. Comments on this post are limited to paid subscribers only. Leave a comment below for a chance to win. Entries open until Friday, March 28th.

A different version of the print is also now available for sale at Gallery Nucleus. Please note, this version is not the screenprinted version you see in the video/images. It’s a high-quality giclée print with a different production process, but I wanted a version of the print to be accessible to more folks. If you, or a special teacher/librarian/book lover in your life, might appreciate this print, click here.