Last week, my sister and I celebrated little Lola & tots’ 4 year anniversary and the release of our book, Travel Con Lola to la República Dominicana. With our celebration came an opportunity for a spotlight on Pix 11 News, as part of their Hispanic Heritage feature – check it out here. When we got the news that Pix 11 was interested in interviewing us, we were scared to even speak about it considering the opportunity this meant for our business and the idea that if we did share, we would somehow jinx it. The interview, scheduled just two days before airing, was the first time we’ve been asked about the reason why we do the work we do.
Thinking back to the onset of the pandemic, I remember the fear we felt of losing this business that we’ve worked so hard on, a vision that’s been brought to life by real life experiences combined with a passion for change in the way we influence our children. We knew right then that losing it, was not an option, or at least given the uncertainty, we would not go down without a fight. We’ve made it through so far with lots of pivots; we’ve designed educational programs that align to our mission, welcomed staff committed to the work, and wrote a Spanglish children’s book. It’s all been done intentionally to bring life to the idea that what we do is necessary and important.
As a parent, representation is something I strive for my children to see – as a Latina, as a female, as a single mother, as a daughter of immigrant parents, as an entrepreneur. Sharing the story of a brown girl embracing her roots, culture and language on an island that became her summer home while back in the city her parents remained working, is a common immigrant family story. The idea that children see themselves in our book is one that fuels empowerment. Sharing our story and work on national television made us proud.
A couple of weeks back, we participated in the Uptown Indie Book Fair where we met many Dominican children’s authors. I took advantage and purchased so many wonderful stories to share with my little ones so that they could continue feeling seen and heard. There is something special in effecting change by learning from each others’ cultures through books and exploration. We hope you’ll add diversity and representation to your child’s home library! Check out the links below.