“Don’t Let Anybody Tell You That You Can’t Do Something”
L LeNard, along with two other members of her INVST cohort, Hannah Mook and Andrea Baeza Brienbauer (INVST Class of 2017), are putting the finishing touches on a children’s book that they created for their second-year SOL (Serving*Organizing*Leading) Project. The book explores immigration issues and is written in a historical fiction format. The story itself is inspired by and compiled from the memories of «Ƶ residents Eleanor Montour and her mother Alicia Sanchez.
With immigration issues in the headlines, Lenard, Mook and Baeza started thinking about this project. LeNard said, “There was a lot of talk about what we could do. We did a lot of research on what was going on in the community and it was luck that we stumbled upon the opportunity to make this book.” The students worked in partnership with , a collaborative and grassroots initiative that is documenting and describing the history of Latinos in «Ƶ County over the past century.
All three INVST students took part in illustrating and writing the book. They are now making final edits and consulting with community partners to ensure that the Spanish translation is appropriate and relevant. LeNard shared that the creation of the book was a journey full of fun and learning. “One of the most exciting things was the fact that when Eleanor read our draft, she loved it and was able to recognize some of the places; they are drawn realistically in the book. It made me happy she thought it was super cool.”
The book will be published soon. Stay posted for details on a book launch celebration.
“One of the most exciting things was the fact that when Eleanor read our draft, she loved it and was able to recognize some of the places; they are drawn realistically in the book. It made me happy she thought it was super cool.”
at INVST's Facebook Page.