CINCINNATI — Stories weave the fabric of our understanding and connection to the world around us. The more we see ourselves in the narratives of others, the deeper our connections become.
Brian Westbrook Sr. saw that opportunity with his new book, "Brianna, Malik and the Mindful Champions."
"There's an opportunity to bring something to the table that's worth our while, to give kids that feel like, man, look at this book. It represents me, and I can see myself in this book," said Brian Westbrook Sr.
Westbrook Sr. is a coach, mentor and leads the business program at Marshall High School's Hamilton campus. He is also a children's book author.
"My book ... was created based on my struggles mentally that I've never really talked about," Westbrook said. "I've lost a player to suicide, I've lost a niece to suicide, and my own child has dealt with her own issues."
The Black Child Book Fair, coming to Cincinnati for the first time in March, gives him an opportunity to share his story with more young people.
Learn more about Westbrook's story below:
"Bringing this event here to Cincinnati was an opportunity for our community and our kids and youth to see authors that look like them, characters that look like them, and that they can relate to," Westbrook said.
Another author, Darryl Harvey, started the book fair in Chicago in 2019. Now in nearly 15 cities, Cincinnati was always on the radar.
You can find the first fair here on Saturday, March 1, at Agape Love Ministries at 8050 Reading Rd from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Despite growing awareness and success, Harvey says research highlights a startling disparity.
"There's only somewhere between 10% and 14% of mainstream books that have Black children's faces in them. You are more likely to see an animal than you are a Black face in a children's book," Harvey said.
At these fairs, children find characters who reflect their experiences.
"The impact will be, kids will see these children of color in these stories doing positive things, and hopefully, it will influence them to do positive things as well," Harvey said, an approach aiming not only to entertain but also to inspire young minds.
For Westbrook, the mission behind the fair extends beyond literature; it seeks to foster open conversations among young people.
"If we can be that one little beacon spot in their lives and make them feel comfortable enough to say, 'Hey, I'm not feeling well today, can you help me?' that's what I feel like we're here for."
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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