A Chat With Nadia L. Hohn

HF:
OK, first things first.  Congratulations on one year of this book being out in the world!  In a starred review, the School Library Journal said: “A celebration of diversity in the form of a cookbook…Aspiring kid chefs will enjoy trying out these original recipes. The author asks, “What if talking about racism was as easy as baking a cake?” With this book, it could be.”  Can you tell us how this idea and this collaboration got started?

Nadia:
I am a foodie and love to cook.  In 2011, I started a blog called BLUE BUTTERFLY to document my transition to a plant-based diet as well as my cancer journey.  There, I  shared my experiences through food and healing in my posts, developing an audience, while falling in love with writing more and more each day.  So I knew a food book was coming down the line.  By 2019, I had thought about doing a cookbook or book about food.  I also found myself wanting to celebrate BIPOC kidlit authors who were releasing books in Canada as I was meeting many diverse creators at conferences in the US, including workshops at Highlights.  As time went on, as a teacher, I saw a need for antiracist resources that were appropriate for young readers and that help educators.  I saw several books that touched on these topics being published in the US, but very little for younger readers in Canada.  Then June 2020 happened– the murder of George Floyd ignited the Black Lives Matter movement and a global racial justice emerged.  I organized #KidLit4BlackLivesCanada, an online rally which was in allyship and paralleled the #KidLit4BlackLives virtual rally organized by author Kwame Alexander.  Twenty-four Black authors, illustrators, publishing professionals, educators, and allies took part and we had almost 10, 000 live views.  Soon after, my book ideas converged and transformed into the Antiracist Kitchen: 21 Stories and Recipes, an antiracist cookbook that taught, fed, and healed.  Because we were impacted by these series of events in Canada, I saw this as an opportunity to dialogue with US authors.  For these reasons, I included creators from both countries.

HF:
What was the process like to get it to the page?  And how did the Highlights Foundation help you in that journey?

Nadia:
I created a non-fiction proposal which included a sample story and recipe.  In it, I listed the topics and authors I wanted the book to include, including the many I’ve worked with in both the US and Canada.  Some of my US contacts came as a result of the Amplify Black Stories cohort– Hasani Claxton, Brian Patrick Avery, and someone I already knew, Andrea J. Loney.

HF:
You mentioned in your social post celebrating the anniversary that it’s been a joy for you to hear reviews, and the many ways that this book has impacted so many kids.  Can you give us a specific example that left an impression on you?

Nadia:
I am particularly touched when a teacher shares a cookbook that her class has made which also contains stories and recipes.  I love seeing photos of children and youth cooking.  I also love hearing the way that this book has helped children and adults.

HF:
Do you have any current or future projects you’d like to tell us about?  (Would be great to mention your upcoming book birthday, and/or whatever else you’d like)

Nadia:
My newest book Getting Us to Grandma’s was just released on October 1 and I had a big book launch which was also my 10th book party in Toronto.  My next book is also about a special food, Patty Dreams, which comes out on January 7, 2025.  Lastly, I am planning events for a collective I started in 2014 called Sankofa’s Pen.  In addition to all of this, I am very much in the thick of loving my new role as a school librarian.  I hope to finish some picture book, playwriting and novel projects as I figure out a schedule that works for me.

HF:
Thank you, Nadia, for talking with us today!