Today we’d like to introduce you to Cy-Anne Small.
Hi Cy-Anne, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
The idea for Kierra’s Extraordinary Experiment came to me in 2017, but I didn’t release it to the world until 2021. I was a college student in a teacher preparation program, completing service hours at underserved school sites. During this time, I tutored students (of color) in reading using materials from my university to do so. I noticed most of the books were outdated and unrelatable for students –from the characters to the settings and activities. I shared my concerns with the directors of my program, who said they would “take it into consideration.” However, by the time I graduated in 2019, the library still lacked stories with diverse characters and experiences. It was frustrating but I chose to channel that energy into my own creation. I doodled the plot elements and characters into my planner and over time, the concept consistently lingered in the back of my mind. It wasn’t until the pandemic hit and schools transitioned to online learning, that I had time to sit down and breathe life into Kierra and her story.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It hasn’t been a smooth road; it’s never a smooth road when God has something planned for you, specifically. There were many twists, re-routes, and moments of feeling lost. My main struggle was finding Black women who were successful children’s authors, and willing to coach me. Then it was finding bookstores that would put Kierra on their bookshelves. However, I felt the most defeated when I was finding my printing vendors and no one printed books with dimensions of 10 in x 8 in. But overall, the most frustrating part was trying to communicate my thoughts in a creative light. I knew how the vision looked, but I couldn’t always find the words to put it in so others on my team could understand. It’s different from academic language or even responding in an interview. I struggled but didn’t give up, and that made all of the difference.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Cy-Anne Small is an influential educator, both inside and outside of the classroom. After graduating from the University of Florida with her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education K-6 and Master’s Degree in Special Education K-12 and Educational Leadership, she taught in numerous school districts across the state of Florida. Desiring to further develop her skills as a practitioner, Ms. Small expanded her knowledge of systematic differences within education through her continued research, courses at Harvard University, and journeys abroad. In 2017, Ms. Small discovered the need for incorporating more elements, shared across the culture of young Black girls, within children’s literature. It was a struggle to find text-to-self connections for young Black girls in the books they read at school and at home. As a result, Ms. Small got the idea to create Small World Edventures, a community resource brand built on strengthening connections among caregivers, teachers, and young Black girls through creativity and discussion-based learning. In addition to culturally-relevant literature, Small World Edventures provides corresponding materials such as book club discussion questions, lesson plans, and research-based practices, perfect for both in-class and at-home learning!
How can people work with you, collaborate with you, or support you?
I love this question! The easiest way is to contact me on Instagram or Facebook @smallworldedventures!
Pricing:
- Hardcover-$19.99
- Paperback-$14.99
- Positive Affirmation Bracelet-$1.99
- Coloring Pages-$2.99
- Coloring Bookmarks-$2.99
Contact Info:
- Website: https://smallworldedventures.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallworldedventures/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smallworldedventures
Image Credits
Solstice Media Productions
