Join us as we tell stories centering the culture, joy, histories, and futures of Black people.

With love and care we nurture and uplift our young ones. Books written for them are just the beginning of our continued effort to empower them. Healing Justice has partnered with local Santa Barbara leaders and educators to bring the joy of reading to y'all.  We hope you can join us in celebrating the joy of Blackness and the joy of reading. Gather the entire family as we read these beloved children’s books and share sing-a-long songs.

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‍Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry‍

Zuri's hair has a mind of its own. It kinks, coils, and curls every which way. Zuri knows it's beautiful. When Daddy steps in to style it for an extra special occasion, he has a lot to learn. Tender and empowering, Hair Love is an ode to loving your natural hair - and a celebration of daddies and daughters everywhere.‍

Sulwe by Lupita Nyong'o‍

Sulwe has skin the color of midnight. She is darker than everyone in her family. She is darker than anyone in her school. Sulwe just wants to be beautiful and bright, like her mother and sister. Then a magical journey in the night sky opens her eyes and changes everything. In this debut picture book, actress Lupita Nyong’o creates a whimsical and heartwarming story to inspire children to see their own unique beauty.

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‍Hey Black Child by Useni Eugene PerkinsBuk‍

This lyrical, empowering poem celebrates black children and seeks to inspire all young people to dream big and achieve their goals.‍

All Because You Matter by Tami Charles‍

A lyrical, heart-lifting love letter to Black and brown children everywhere: reminding them how much they matter, that they have always mattered, and they always will from powerhouse rising star author Tami Charles and esteemed, award-winning illustrator Bryan Collier.

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‍I Am Perfectly Designed by Karamo Brown‍

In this empowering ode to modern families, a boy and his father take a joyful walk through the city, discovering all the ways in which they are perfectly designed for each other. I Am Perfectly Designed is an exuberant celebration of loving who you are, exactly as you are, from Karamo Brown, the Culture Expert of Netflix's hit series Queer Eye.‍

Mixed Me by Taye Diggs‍

Actor Taye Diggs tackles the topic of mixed-race children of interracial marriages:
”They call me Mixed-up Mike, but that name should be fixed. I'm not mixed up, I just happen to be mixed."
A little boy with wildly curly hair navigates the social terrain of being a biracial child.‍

Julián is a Mermaid  by Jessica Love‍

In an exuberant picture book, a glimpse of costumed mermaids leaves one boy flooded with wonder and ready to dazzle the world. Julián is a Mermaid is a story about a boy and his Abuela. It is a story about being seen for who we are by someone who loves us.

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