Our partnership with The Novel Neighbor has been one of the highlights of this semester. Today, Kim Johnson, critically acclaimed YA author, visited us for an author talk and to sign copies of her newest novel, Invisible Son, a powerful work on social justice, identity, and race set in Portland as the pandemic rolls in and George Floyd is murdered.
Our co-heads gave a wonderful introduction, and students asked gripping, nuanced questions about race, literature, and youth action. Kim Johnson was a powerful speaker, sharing her journey to becoming a writer, her writing process, and how she uses art for social action. You can see her whole presentation at Crossroads here.
So many thanks to Kim Johnson and The Novel Neighbor for this intellectually invigorating event – we can’t wait for what’s to come in the new year!
More on Invisible Son:
Life can change in an instant.
When you’re wrongfully accused of a crime.
When a virus shuts everything down.
When the girl you love moves on.
Andre Jackson is determined to reclaim his identity. But returning from juvie doesn’t feel like coming home. His Portland, Oregon, neighborhood is rapidly gentrifying, and COVID-19 shuts down school before he can return. And Andre’s suspicions about his arrest for a crime he didn’t commit even taint his friendships. It’s as if his whole life has been erased.