May 19, 2022
One of the biggest missteps in children’s books today is representation. All children deserve to see themselves at the center of a story.
My guest today is Iolani L. Bullock, and I’m very excited to have her share her motivation and drive in writing Lenox Takes Flight.
Iolani is a Bronx native who caught the travel bug at a young age. As a global recruiter, Iolani has been lucky to have a career that fed her love of travel and desire to experience other cultures.
A diversity, equity, and inclusion professional by day and novelist by night, Iolani believes that our differences are what make us special and that all children deserve to see themselves at the center of a story.
In this episode, we’ll discuss:
- How Iolani’s perspective of the world changed after a trip with her church
- Why Iolani believes travel is another form of education
- What led Iolani to write Lenox Takes Flight
- The importance of introducing children to different cultures and fostering curiosity
- And much more!
Thanks for listening to the Humanitarian Entrepreneur podcast! If there’s someone that you know who wants to become an author, longs to see more diversity, equity, and inclusion in children’s books, or simply is looking for a good book to share with their children, please share this episode with them.
You can find the link to get a copy of Lenox Takes Flight in the resources below.
Together, we’ll change the world on our own terms. Thanks for joining us on this adventure, and enjoy my conversation with Iolani!
In This Episode:
[01:27] - We’re introduced to Iolana Bullock and learn what inspired her to write Lenox Takes Flight.
[03:30] - Iolani couldn’t find the book she wanted to read with her son, so she set out to write it herself. This is how Lenox Takes Flight came to be.
[04:44] - Iolani talks about the importance of international travel and how we learn the most by getting out of our comfort zones.
[07:12] - Lenox Takes Flight was written at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and racial injustice in the United States.
[08:40] -Iolani shares how Lenox Takes Flight incorporates a strong presence with diversity, equity, and inclusion.
[10:53] - For those that don’t have the means to travel, how can they get introduced to different cultures throughout the world?
[13:35] - Long-held biases can often hold some parents back from exploring new cultures and cuisines. This is how children have been overcoming that hurdle.
[15:53] - How can children continue to push back against parents with generational biases?
[18:50] - Iolani shares her advice to those in the audience who might be hesitant to become an author.
[21:33] - What’s next for Lenox? Iolani discusses the possibility of a sequel.
Resources:
Book - Lenox Takes Flight, by Iolani L. Bullock
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