Firebird

"Jamia: I have loved ballet ever since I took my first class when I was four years old. Through ballet, I learned how to be strong, powerful, disciplined and graceful. I gravitated towards this book and this story because Misty Copeland (featured in Young, Gifted and Black ) is one of my heroes. I will never forget being told by a ballet teacher that I should adjust my movements to avoid “bulking up with muscle and looking like Flo Jo” while white girls in my class were praised for their lithe builds. I was already self-conscious for hitting puberty early, but it was worse to be singled out for having a different body type than many of my classmates at that point in my life. “This book inspires readers to imagine themselves transforming into and reclaiming the shining, phoenix-like firebird they were always meant to be” I wish I had this book when I was questioning whether I could fit in, feeling awkward for not being able to find so-called ‘nude’ shoes, leotards, and tights to match my complexion, or wondering if I should get a new hobby because I couldn’t find many role models who looked like me. What I love about Firebird is that it presents a relatable story about how to work hard and focus on your goal in spaces where your value and presence may not be readily embraced or understood. It’s also refreshing because it addresses the ways we are conditioned to doubt ourselves without shame or victim-blaming. Instead, it inspires readers to imagine themselves transforming into, and reclaiming the shining, phoenix-like firebird they were always meant to be."