March 8^th is International Women’s Day – and with February marking Black History Month…what better way to blend the two by learning how to help lead Black Girls!

The International Women's Day 2024 campaign theme is “Inspire Inclusion.” When we inspire others to understand and value women's inclusion, we forge a better world. And when women themselves are inspired to be included, there's a sense of belonging, relevance, and empowerment.

I AM, I CAN, I WILL is a beautifully illustrated guided journal...gives young Black women the opportunity for self-discovery, to feel empowered, and to take an active role in building their self-confidence.

Pulling from profiles of strong, successful women like Oprah Winfrey, Harriet Tubman, and Venus Williams…the book teaches young Black girls what it takes to set their own path to success!

I AM, I CAN, I WILL

A GUIDED JOURNAL OF SELF-DISCOVERY FOR BLACK GIRLS

Ensuring young children have self-confidence is essential for their sense of worth. And it is especially vital for young Black girls who will experience – or have already experienced – the negative stigmas both the Black community and women face; two marginalized groups that have historically faced oppression and continue to face that oppression today.

Written and illustrated by Dr. Cynthia Jacobs Carter and Ruth Chamblee, I AM, I CAN, I WILL: A GUIDED JOURNAL OF SELF-DISCOVERY FOR BLACK GIRLS (Workman Publishing; January 16, 2024; Hardcover; $16.99) gives young Black women the opportunity to feel empowered and take an active role in building their self-confidence.

Some suggested talking points include:

• The importance of Black History Month, and the significance of Black women throughout history

• Inspiration behind creating the book

• Favorite stories of women featured throughout the book and why

• Advice you’d give young girls today that you wish you had when you were younger

Filled with powerful mantras meant to enlighten, engage, and empower young Black girls, I AM, I CAN, I WILL encourages them 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, and to find themselves reflected in these foremothers.

The journal is divided into three “signposts” meant to guide the reader in who they are, what they’re capable of, and what they’ll do:

• Signpost #1: I Am – In this section, you will think about what unique qualities, beliefs, knowledge, and experiences make you YOU.
• Signpost #2: I Can – In this section, think about what challenges you will take on and what you expect from the world.
• Signpost #3: I Will – In this section, think about what dreams, goals, and promises you will fulfill for yourself and for others.

Featuring the stories of both historical and present Black foremothers, impressionable young readers will connect with these inspiring trailblazers as they learn self-confidence is the root of their own power, and leaders of the world are needed in every generation – including their own.

Some of the stories featured from influential Black women include:

• Harriet Tubman (CA. 1820 – 1913)
• Angela Davis (B. 1944)
• Amanda Gorman (B. 1998)
• Michelle Obama (B. 1964)
• Oprah Winfrey (B. 1954)
• Kamala Devi Harris (B. 1964)
• Venus Williams (B. 1980)



I AM, I CAN, I WILL: A GUIDED JOURNAL OF SELF-DISCOVERY FOR BLACK GIRLS shows young Black girls their voices, thoughts, and actions are a valuable contribution to the world---and perhaps most importantly, avital tool in the practice of self-discovery and love.

Some suggested questions include:

• What inspired you to share the stories of these women through a guided journal?

• Why did you make this journal specifically for young girls?

• What does each section of the book represent?

• What do you hope little girls will gain from this?

TO BOOK AN INTERVIEW CONTACT PETER at peter@playbackproducers.com or reply to this email

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

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.

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.

TO BOOK AN INTERVIEW CONTACT PETER at peter@playbackproducers.com or reply to this email