A NOTE FROM ZAPOURA
When I first read Today Is Different, by Doua Moua, I thought, "Yes, we need this book!" While there are a lot of books that talk about justice and activism, there are few that talk about allyship and cross-cultural solidarity so explicitly through a story that also centers the heart. Both the family and friend relationships in this book are dear, and it's clear that these relationships build a foundation for the activism that is the culmination of the narrative. Change happens most powerfully when we are in relationship with each other. This helps us to grow our empathy, perception, and understanding of difference across identities.
ABOUT STORYSEED SOCIAL JUSTICE CURRICULUM
Our curriculum and ongoing practices are rooted in emergent strategy: “the way complex systems and patterns arise out of a multiplicity of relatively simple interactions.” The interactions we have with books, among reading partners, inside classrooms, and within reading communities are relatively simple. What is cultivated from those interactions is something much more complex – lifelong, daily abolitionist, decolonizing, heart/body-centered, and anti-racist practices. These include learning how to make the ground more fertile for ongoing identity, healing, discussion, action, and imagination practices in ourselves and with each other.
Each curriculum includes section summaries, discussion questions, additional learning resources, and a list of books to read next.
BOOK SUMMARY
When Mai’s family is anxiously watching the news and her friend Kiara is absent from school, Mai knows that something is different but doesn’t know what. When she finds out that a Black community member has been harmed by police, she wants to get involved. Even though her parents are worried about what’s happening and about how much Mai should know, the whole family ends up joining the community’s rally in support of Black lives.
BOOK THEMES
IDENTITY, DIVERSITY, JUSTICE, ACTION, HMONG-AMERICAN IDENTITY, BLACK IDENTITY, BLACK LIVES MATTER, ALLYSHIP, COLLECTIVE ACTION, PROTEST
CURRICULUM SNEAK PEEK
This is a literal snapshot of the curriculum or this book. I hope it gives you a little taste and leaves you wanting more!
GET THE CURRICULUM HERE
Click below to purchase the curriculum for Today Is Different. Thank you!