The Women of Color Reading Group

CRYSTAL’S CHAMPIONS

The Women of Color

Reading Group

WITH JENN WILMOT

What prompted you to create this book club?

I had a few motivations behind starting the Women of Color Reading Group (the WOC), but it started with my little sister, who’s actually not so little. She’s a 2L at Temple Law School. But, for my birthday last November, she sent me a new copy of one of my favorite books, Flyy Girl, by Omar Tyree.

A few weeks earlier, I had commented on how impactful that novel was to me when I read it in high school. As a young girl growing up in West Philadelphia - a Black, urban, low-income community - my friends and I were trying to maneuver growing up and coming into our own against the typical teen angst we all feel, but also against some serious societal barriers. These same friends - facing stressors and burdens in life even adults shouldn’t face, let alone children/teenagers - still found time to be ardent readers of literature that reflected our lives.

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Flyy Girl is one of these works. Published in 1993, the book takes place in Philly and follows the teenage years of Tracey Ellison, the main protagonist. She’s a spoiled girl from a solid, middle-class neighborhood in Philly, and she’s “boy crazy.” She’s also very caught up in seeking attention from the wrong people and in the wrong ways. It’s basic bildungsroman - a “coming of age” story just like Jane Eyre or To Kill a Mockingbird - but it centers around the life of a Black girl, and that made a world of difference. For the first time, we were seeing ourselves in literature - our experiences, our culture, our struggles, and our joy as Black girls - in very raw and realistic ways, which proved to be transformational.

So, I wondered if this book and a similar one, The Coldest Winter Ever, by Sister Souljah, could offer Black girls of this generation – and girls of color, in general – the same opportunities it gave me and my friends.

In addition, I have a personal connection to the KU GEAR UP Topeka program at Highland

Park High School, and I’ve done some events and projects with them previously, so naturally this is where I wanted to start the group. KU GEAR UP Topeka supports students heading into post-secondary education by ensuring they are academically and financially prepared to enter this next stage. I knew the majority of the young ladies who signed up from previous events, so it all cametogether very nicely.

What’s the goal or mission?

The WOC is designed as a safe, inclusive space for students to freely explore social, historic, and personal experiences through the medium of literature and critical conversation. We intentionally elevate the voices of authors and characters of color - especially women of color - to center the ideas and insights of those who are too often marginalized in the traditional literary canon. This is a space for students to receive support, to be seen, to be heard, and to be acknowledged for their lived experiences.

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Currently you’re working in Highland Park schools. What other areas are you ‘eyeing’ to expand this mission?

Right now there are no intentions to expand. I would love to see groups like the WOC take root in middle and high schools all over the country, because this is critical and necessary work for our girls of color. But for now, the WOC resides at the singular location in Highland Park HS.

How did you generate funding for this project?

All funds were raised through Facebook. I have some really amazing friends. I posted a status one evening about wanting to start a “book club” for girls of color, as well as wanting to purchase and ”gift” the first two books for all of the students (Flyy Girl by Omar Tyree and The Coldest Winter Ever by Sister Souljah).

shouting THANK YOU to our donors whenever I can!!

What has the feedback been like from the young girls in the book club?

The girls love it! The group isn’t structured like a class, or even like a typical book club. They direct this group.

At the start of the hour, I’ll post a critical question related to the book and the experience of girlhood, and the girls will add their thoughts to the board as they file in, while also writing down any topic they want to discuss (it doesn’t have to be related to the book).

We had about 20 girls sign up initially, and I calculated that if we could get 20 people to pledge $8 that would get both books in every student’s hands. The next morning my friends and their friends had donated over $1000! It blew me away - I mean speechless, froze, floored, all of it.

We’d raised enough money to buy ALL of the books for the club! We’re reading 5 books total, and we had just enough funds to get all of the books for every student, with a small amount left over to cover some snacks. The generosity of everyone, especially considering we were just coming out of the Christmas season, was simply phenomenal. I’m still

We start our conversation with a quick mental wellness check-in - “how’s everyone doing” and giving them the time to decompress if they need to. From there we go into high-level discussion of the critical question,

the book, their reactions, what they saw coming or didn’t, and we compare it to their own experiences and whether they can or cannot relate. We’ll then decide which topic from the board we want to tackle first, and we just keep building from there. Finally, every session has a ‘lip gloss’ break. We take about 5 minutes and discuss lip gloss brands, favorites, glitter or no glitter, etc. It derived directly from the ladies, and like clockwork, it’s always on the unwritten agenda of the WOC.

Have parents been involved or engaged and is this part of the objective?

Thankfully the KU GEAR UP Topeka team at Highland Park - my partners at the school - have excellent relationships with families and engage them on a consistent and regular basis, so while families are not directly involved with the club, as this is a space explicitly designed for the ladies, they are loopedin to us and what we’re trying to accomplish.

How can my readers help with this program? If they want to donate books, funds, and the like, what’s the best way to do so?

The group couldn’t exist without the time and generosity of others! We are very grateful for any and all support, and if you’re looking to get involved or to donate, please just reach out to me at JMWilmot@ku.edu.

Thank you very much for your time, your dedication, and for all that you do!!

Thank you again for your support of the WOC and for promoting our endeavors!!

Crystal’s Champions is dedicated to strong and inspirational women and organizations that are making a difference in the community. To nominate a Champion, email us at women@thespot.mag.