Maya Gonzalez creates art for ALA Día poster
In celebration of the 15th anniversary of El día de los Niños/El día de los Libros, Maya created the artwork for the event poster. “ALSC is very proud to have Maya Christina Gonzalez produce the vibrant artwork for the 15th anniversary of El día de los niños/El día de los libros,” said Julie Corsaro, ALSC president. “We believe that her beautiful poster thoroughly reflects this joyous celebration of family literacy.”
Maya says, “When I was asked to do the ALA poster for El Dia, I portrayed a grandmother sharing a special moment with many important aspects of life that support and sustain us. These include reading, nature and community with children from many different cultural backgrounds to reflect all the different ways we are.”
Read more about the 15th anniversary on the ALA website. You can also read more from Maya on Pat Mora’s blog or order your poster or bookmark from the ALA store.
Filed under CLAIMING FACE, Events | Tags: children, creativity, el dia de los libros, el dia de los niños | Comment (0)Listen to Maya read I Know the River Loves Me on the SF Public Library Children’s Storyline
The San Francisco Public library has partnered with Children’s Book Press to promote Hispanic Heritage Month and the Children’s Storyline. Children’s Book Press generously granted the library permission to record I Know The River Loves Me: Yo sé río me ama by Maya Christina Gonzalez in four languages. Maya recorded the English language version for their growing Storyline library.
You can listen to her read the book by Continue reading »
Filed under General, Maya in the Classroom | Tags: children, hispanic heritage month, library | Comment (0)Reading to the kids of Nickerson Gardens
Last week I flew to Los Angeles for an American Federation of Teachers media event on August 19th. As a child, unions were a natural part of life to me. I grew up with talk of Cesar Chavez, as well as shop talk about the electric union my father belonged to. So I was honored to be included in supporting the union that supports some of my favorite and most respected fellows: educators.
The event took place at the Head Start Center, deep in the Nickerson Gardens Projects in Watts, Los Angeles. The outside walls were covered with fading, but powerful renditions of Martin Luther King Jr. and inspirational words. The images reminded me Continue reading »
Filed under Events, Maya in the Classroom | Tags: children, event, family, neighborhood, outreach, school visit | Comment (0)Gender Now Coloring Book: A Learning Adventure for Children and Adults
When we received the very first copy of GENDER NOW we couldn’t have been more pleased! After several years of hard work and dedication in creating the art and text for the book, it was finally here. And yet even as we held the first copy, looking at the kids playing and dancing throughout the pages of the book, it felt like it had always been. It’s funny how that happens. It’s as if the images of the children had made their personalities known as we worked with them, telling us who they were, and how they wanted to share their message with other children.
We can only hope that this book will reach all the children who are desperately seeking reflection in their world. We know that it is the children who will change the world and instilling messages of equality and acceptance can only serve to further the goal of positive change. We hope that whether you are transgender or not, whether you know someone who is transgender or not, you will take a moment to connect with the child within, open the coloring book, get out your crayons and let the kids of the gender team open your mind to all the many ways to be in this world.
| Read more about the Coloring Book>>> | Read the Press Release>>> |
| View inside and buy>>> |
Endings are Beginnings
Ahh…well here it is, the end of the school year. The feet are standing in summer already. School is like a memory. It was a very busy Spring up until the very end. And while the school visits are over, we are heavy into our next big project, our latest venture, Gender Now Coloring Book, but more about that later.
It’s time to remember and close the books on this last school year. May 13 we went into Paul Revere Elementary School here in San Francisco. I was asked to come visit the school by the mother of one of Zai’s close friends, Virginia, who I adore. So not only was Virginia there (they met in nursery school and became deep friends) but for the first time Zai got to come visit me “at work.” 
This made it extra special. I always tell her tales of my adventures, but I LOVED having her there in person. I always have a lot to learn from kids, but having one of my greatest teachers with me, my sweet Zai, was awesome.
The very next day Matthew and I were off to El Granada Elementary School near Half Moon Bay. I got to talk to some excellent Continue reading »
Filed under Maya in the Classroom | Tags: children, family, fun, library, presentations, school visit | Comment (0)
