The book Our Roots in every London School Library

#5for55!

It’s my 55th birthday. 

And I’m asking you as one of my actual or virtual friends to celebrate with me this weekend (not with gifts, social media, whatsapp or telephone messages) but to show your love to me and my young authors by donating a fiver on our Go Fund Me page:

Our Roots in every London school library:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/our-roots-in-every-london-school-library Ensuring children across London can read the heroic tales of our young authors’ ancestors and their epic journeys to the UK.

 We would love to raise at least £555 this weekend (Fri 23rd to Sun 25th Oct.)

 I am so grateful to have made it to 55 years and proud that in that time I have been a child of the almighty, a graduate, a television presenter, a promotions manager for Britain’s best black newspaper, a senior leader in education, a school governor, a charity trustee, a wife, a mum, a grandma, a pneumonia survivor, a heart attack and quadruple bypass surgery survivor, a cancer survivor, an author and the UKs only publisher of books written solely by Black children aged 6 to 15 years.

 So no long ting, just £5 for 55 years please. #5for55! You can leave a birthday message there once you donate.

 If you are on my socials or in my contacts list, me and my authors will be bugging you all weekend. Please give #5for55 today!

 Please share at least 5 times far and wide.

 Sent with much love and appreciation.

Bless you all.

 Juliet x

www.blackjacmedia.com



THE OUR ROOTS STORY
BlackJac Media is the only UK publishing company that publishes children's books written by Black writers aged 6 to 15 years. To date they have worked with 37 young writers and published 13 books. They conduct free writing workshops for the children that include brainstorming ideas, research and literacy skills. 

During Covid-19 Lockdown we worked with 27 youngsters | 6 to 13 years | 10 boys | 17 girls | From Brent | Dudley | Ealing | Enfield | Essex | Hackney | Haringey | Harrow | Hertfordshire | Islington | Luton | Manchester | Newham | Nottingham | Redbridge | Southwark | Tower Hamlets | Waltham Forest |Zimbabwe |

Who interviewed and wrote profiles for:

25 Grandparents | 52 to 87 years |10 Grandfathers |12 Grandmothers |3 Great Grandmothers | From Antigua | Barbados | Derby | Dominica | Greenwich | Grenada | Haringey | Jamaica | Leicester | Nigeria | Trinidad | Yorkshire | Zimbabwe

The stories are of the grandparents' childhood and experiences in their homelands, and many of their journey's to the UK and stories about their lives, hopes and dreams since.

One great-grandmother that was interviewed sadly died three days after and her family were happy for us to print the beautiful story of her life and legacy which was written by her 9 year old great-grandchild. 

The book is eye opening, rich, inspiring and full of legacy. Something we believe every child: black, brown, white...  should read and we want to send a copy to every school library in London. Some of our talented young writers lived outside of London, two were from Nottingham, one from Dudley and one from Zimbabwe. If  we can reach our target, we would love to expand to schools in their areas.

There are just over 3,000 primary, secondary, special schools and PRUs in London  and we would love to give each of these a copy of 'Our Roots: the inspiring stories of our grandparents and great-grandparents, along with grassroots organisations working with our young Kings and Queens. The money raised will cover printing the books, packaging, delivery and the administration cost to organise this. 

We believe the legacy stories will enrich and inspire the children and hope you will support with a donation that will go towards this project. We welcome any amount no matter how small from individuals or businesses that would love to support. The Windrush Scandal crushed many Caribbean dreams and still some people do not understand the sacrifice people made when they left their homes to come to the UK in the 50s, 60s and 70s. By reading these stories, it should give children and adults a taste.

Only 4% of BAME main characters are in children's books. At BlackJac we are family Black business working hard to ensure children of colour can see themselves in positive and  heroic roles. But not only see this but write the books themselves.  Our purpose is to empower our youngsters and preserve legacy. 

I coordinate the projects and I am a retired award-winning Senior Deputy Headteacher who has worked in Education for over 20 years. 

Please donate (no matter how small) so we can share this book with the next generation. If we do not hit the target, whatever is raised will be used to purchase and deliver books to school libraries.

You can see and follow our work on our:
Website: www.blackjacmedia.com
Instagram: @blackjacmedia 
Facebook: Young Lit Stars

Feel free to click the contact us button if you are a school or grass roots organisation and would love a copy of 'Our Roots' or if you have any further enquiries. 

Sincerely

Julz x   www.blackjacmedia.com