Healing from Family Incarceration: Children's Book Launch w/ Author

3092 16th Street,San Francisco CA 94103

07 November, 2021

Description

"Demetri Makes a Memory Quilt" tells the heartwarming story of a boy who heals with his family's help while his mom is far from home! Join author Renée Menart and powerful community leaders on Sunday, November 7th (11am - 12:30pm PST) as we celebrate the launch of an exciting new children's book! All author’s profits from book sales will be donated to non-profit organizations supporting children and families impacted by incarceration. THE EVENT: Register for a free ticket and the latest updates! This event will be in person at Manny’s, a community-focused café in San Francisco’s Mission District. In-person attendees must wear face masks and provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination. There will also be a video link for those who'd like to tune in virtually from the comfort of their home. Includes: - Entertaining book reading (children welcome!) - Panel discussion* on the impacts of family incarceration - Q&A with attendees - Book signing by the author *Guest speakers include Rebecca Jackson, Director of Cameo House, a residential reentry and alternative sentencing program for justice-involved women and their children. THE BOOK: "Demetri Makes a Memory Quilt" is a children's picture book that tells the story of a young boy whose mom is in prison. With the help of his family, he embarks on a creative healing process and explores ways to connect with his mom. Inspired by the author's career in early childhood literacy and community-based alternatives to incarceration, this heartwarming story includes: - Empathy-building opportunities for all children - Rich and engaging vocabulary - Dignified characters and relationships - Social Emotional Learning (SEL) such as how to handle big emotions! THE AUTHOR: Renée Menart is a passionate advocate for youth impacted by the legal system. She serves as a policy analyst at the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice (CJCJ), a local community-based organization whose mission is to reduce reliance on incarceration as a solution to social problems. Renée grew up the youngest of six in a blended family that embraced creativity and compassion. When she is not writing stories, you can find her crafting, exploring nature near or far, and working to keep families together! THE COLLABORATORS: “Demetri Makes a Memory Quilt” was created in collaboration with formerly incarcerated mothers in CJCJ's Cameo House. These collaborators were compensated for their time and insights, which helped develop key themes, dignified characters, and opportunities for children to heal as they navigate this difficult experience. This book was made possible with generous support from the Bay Area Inspire Awards, a community initiative administered by the Philanthropic Ventures Foundation. THE IMPACT: Nearly 3 million children across the U.S. are navigating the experience of a parent’s incarceration, and that number expands to more than 5 million when we consider those whose parent was incarcerated in the past. 1 in 9 black children and 1 in 28 Latino children having experienced a parent’s incarceration, leaving communities of color disparately impacted. This book will support children’s development and destigmatize the experience of a loved one’s incarceration by opening up important discussions within families and communities.