PERSONALITIES: Educator takes on diversity in children's book

May 14—It was the birth of her brother that prompted Joy Houlder of Vernon to try her hand at writing, first just for him and her family.

But encouraged by her college professors to think bigger, Houlder expanded on her initial theme to come up with "Calvin Dreams: And that he will be bigger than the moon!" — a book that celebrates diversity and inclusion.

At the time she was a senior at Emmanuel College in Boston. Having a new sibling "was super exciting to me. So I thought, well, let me gift them (her father and stepmother) with a book that showcases a child that would look like my brother, a little Black boy," she said.

However, none of the books already published fit the happy occasion.

"I was having a hard time finding material that was uplifting, whimsical, and adventurous at the time. I was falling upon lots of things that had to do with civil rights and slavery or really heavy material that is extremely important for every single child to learn about," she said.

Joy Houlder

Occupation: Family resource specialist, author.

Hometown: Vernon.

Age: 24.

Education: 2019 graduate of Emmanuel College in Boston.

Oo purchase book: "Calvin Dreams" is available for purchase on Amazon and Barnes & Noble websites.

"It starts to be exhausting, when the only way you are able to see yourself (is) as a protagonist fighting white supremacy (in a book). I just really wanted something fun for him."

So Houlder thought about creating her own book for her little brother.

"It started out as just a simple project. I took an individualized class (in) my senior year with my professors. A couple of my studio art professors mentored me and I created the book," she said.

At the time, she was not interested in publishing the book, but just wanted to gift it to her family as a surprise.

Her professors "pushed me to publish the book. They saw more in it than what I was initially trying to get out of it," she said.

While her little brother, who is now 4, was her primary source of inspiration for the book, she also was influenced by the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, and wanted to change the portrayal of Black men that was prevalent in the media.

She now had a wider audience. "My little brother, as another little Black boy — being born into such a cruel and unfair society. For my people (the Black community). I was thinking, how can I alleviate the trauma that he is going to withstand? How can I buffer the injustice that he may face?"

The answer: "By providing him a book that shows him as a protagonist adventuring through these impossible, difficult worlds, doing it with ease. So I wanted to inspire my little brother. That is what inspired me," she said.

What about Calvin

In the book, Calvin talks to flowers that speak in different languages, flies in the sky with whales, adventures through dark forests, and finds really bright fairies and mushrooms with his sidekick, Bunny.

"It is really light-hearted and fun, while pushing the message for any child that no matter what they look like, or (whatever their) walk (of life), they can do big things and have fun while doing it," she said.

Her job as a family resource specialist for ECHN at Maple Street School in Vernon where she facilitates programs for positive youth development, also brings her to other schools in Vernon to read "Calvin Dreams."

During a recent visit to Center Road School, Houlder said, she had a powerful interaction with a student after she read the book.

"She got up from her circle and ran to me as I was leaving. She put her hand out and put her hand next to mine. She's gleaming and says, 'We're the same color, brown.' I was like, 'Yeah, we are the same color, brown,' and she skipped back to her chair. I think there was a hint of pride in her that this person, this author, this illustrator that came into my classroom, looks like me."

And that's what makes Houlder excited to have Calvin as a positive protagonist.

"The classes that I read to or the schools that I visited, the responses from every child are 'Hey, I want to be like Calvin,' or 'I relate to him in this way,' she said.

"We are moving away from just seeing one type of hero, one type of protagonist. Anybody can be whoever they want to be. That is why representation is so important."

Kids make a connection

Melissa Trantolo, director of teaching and learning for Vernon Public Schools, agrees. Houlder, she said, "is an example of all the great things you can accomplish when you work hard.

"The kids absolutely loved her. They're able to quickly make connections with her, and her book shows students of color in a positive light and lets all students know they have a place. It's just amazing," Trantolo said.

Houlder said it's important to reinforce diversity and representation.

"Representation is incredibly important for every single child, not just for children of color, but also for white kids as well, because it normalizes seeing people in different positions. I think white supremacy hurts all of us, every single one of us, and with that, pushing the narrative of diversifying protagonists and role models benefits every child," she said.

Houlder, a graduate of Rockville High School and Greater Hartford Academy, relishes in still having her roots in Vernon.

"A lot of my family is still here. And a lot of collegiate roots are tied here to Vernon through my work in the Family Resource Center," she said.

She said her favorite and the most popular programs that she conducts are her therapeutic art groups.

"I'm not an art therapist, but my degree is in counseling psychology and studio art. So in that group, we find ways to cope and strategize with our feelings, our environment using art. So, that's really important to me," she said.

Houlder said more books are in the works that show underrepresented children in the genres of adventure and fantasy, however her recent engagement and wedding planning are where her creativity is focused at the moment, as she made cards and invites, along with planning the decorations for her special day.

"Hey, I am an artist, I might as well do that. So hopefully once all that is settled, or I can find the time to work on my craft at the same time," she'll go back to writing.

Deidre Montague covers the towns of Vernon and Stafford.