MLK Living the Dream Book Award

This year’s honoree, Sulwe, is a poignant and powerful depiction of a girl who feels excluded  because of colorism. The story uses a beautiful myth to help us learn about identity and one’s own definition of beauty. Sulwe was “born the color of midnight” and is treated differently from others, including her own family. The turning point in the story happens when a magical star visits her one evening and takes her on a journey of discovery and wonder about what makes someone beautiful. In an author's note at the end of the book, Nyong'o, who was raised in Kenya, explains how she drew on her own experience to write this book: "Much like Sulwe, I got teased and taunted about my night-shade skin. ... Yes, it is important to feel good about yourself when you look in the mirror, but what is even more important is working to be beautiful inside.” One of our participating students said that the story “...had an impact on me because I’ve never seen a story that had someone like me in it!”