Natasha Tarpley -
Writing For and About Children of Color
The “We Need Diverse Books” movement has underscored the need for more diversity in books, and in the publishing industry overall. However, there is also a need for a greater diversity of representation of people of color and others in literature itself. This workshop will encourage dialog around this complex issue as a way of exploring thoughts and assumptions about diversity, and then move into practical suggestions and techniques that can be used to approach and craft rich, multi-dimensional diverse characters in your own writing. Natasha will accept manuscripts for critique. Please see manuscript guidelines for details.
Natasha Tarpley is the author of the best-selling picture book, I Love My Hair!, as well as other acclaimed titles for children and adults. She is the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship among other awards. When she is not writing books, Ms. Tarpley can usually be found reading them. She has also taken up the cruel and unusual hobby of running marathons. She lives with her husband and the ghosts of two cats on the south side of Chicago.
9-9:30 AM registration and socializing 9:30-12 PM program
