Stephaine Courtney’s book is a guide to children’s aspirations

From staff reports

Stephaine Courtney wrote a children’s book for all of us.

And tonight she is set to share her ideas and published passion underscoring the possibilities for Black children living in Spokane during Wednesday’s Black Voices Symposium presented by Northwest Passages community event series.

Her book, “Our Community: Black Leaders in Spokane” is an illustrated road map for curious children who may wonder if they can be what they want to be when they grow up. It should also be considered reference material for the rest of us.

In an interview last year, Courtney, who has a daughter approaching 2 years old, told The Spokesman-Review: “I don’t want my daughter’s generation asking ‘Who does this?’ and ‘Who does what?’ I want her to be a part of a network that’s already injected into the community and they’re visible.”

Courtney is the force behind The Learning Project, and her book was initially released as a children’s e-book. It came about when she was asked, anonymously by teacher, how to better incorporate Black people into their classroom curriculum.

With renewed focus on diversity, inclusion and equity occurring in classrooms and at dinner tables across the city, Courtney’s book and the deep conversations it can inspire are helping give the accomplishments of Spokane’s Black community some attention.

This past year, it has been published into a short book which has been snapped up across the region.

She will be in conversation tonight with former Spokane NAACP president Kiantha Duncan and Hollywood producer Mandi Price. They will be speaking with Black youth who had their artworks and essays chosen for the Black Voices Symposium.