Nationwide — In her children’s book, Little Miss Linda Speaks Out About Diversity, Dr. Linda J.M. Holloway speaks to the issue of colorism and the impact it can have on a child. Colorism is when someone is discriminated against based on the color of their skin within their own race. For example, in the Black community, it is often the light-skinned complexion competing against the darker-skinned complexion.
The lighter-skinned complexion is believed to be shown more favoritism than the darker-skinned complexion. Though there has been progress, childhood scars and race-based trauma can be extremely detrimental to the emotional, psychological, and social development of a child, resulting in him or her feeling unwanted, unloved, unappreciated, and devalued. Often, these feelings are carried into adulthood impacting one’s self-image and causing the person to have extremely low self-esteem.
However, where the rubber really meets the road is when society tends to favor one skin tone as more likable than another. For example, people have been denied jobs, given harsher prison sentences, accused of committing a crime, and not chosen in romantic relationships because of having darker skin. Therefore, researching this topic and writing an academic journal article resulted in Dr. Holloway feeling compelled to write a children’s book to address the harsh reality of this situation.
She wanted to openly create conversations around this topic, which would challenge people to talk about the impact and emotional damage it causes young children. She also wanted to address the influence it was having on a child’s emotional and psychological wellbeing resulting in negative self-talk and the hate for others because of one’s skin complexion.
What the book is about:
Little Miss Linda Speaks Out About Diversity is a book about Little Miss Linda, a school-age girl, who has traveled the world because of her father’s military career. However, there is something she is keeping from her parents. Little Miss Linda was a darker-skinned complexion child who was often teased and made fun of by the children in her school. Finally, Little Miss Linda and her friends want to teach the children a lesson about the pain and heartache a person experiences when teased and taunted about being dark-skinned. Thus, they speak with their teacher about conducting a diversity project at their school.
It is during this time that all the children learn to appreciate and celebrate other children regardless of their skin color. All the children are extremely impressed by Little Miss Linda’s project about the Skit-tles being different colors, but are able to live together regardless of the color of their skin. Little Linda creates a program called Project P.R.I.D.E., in which P.R.I.D.E. stands for People Respecting Individuals’ Differences Every day. This program is so well-received that she goes around the world teaching the concept of having children to appreciate the skin they are born in.
You will find this book very exciting, educational, and engaging. Dr. Holloway created a song, dance, and pledge to accompany the book, which the children thoroughly enjoy. There is also a treasure hunt where students are given the opportunity to locate Skit-tles throughout the book, coupled with LOL questions, which stand for Learning Out Loud.
Be sure to check out the book on Amazon
Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG3MZz-vVYU
About the Author:
Dr. Linda J.M. Holloway is an Associate Professor at Alabama State University, where she has been teaching for the past seven years. Her areas of research include the intersections of Black women and mental health, as well as Black women and career counseling.
Dr. Holloway is an award-winning author of 8 children’s books, a storyactivist, and a social justice poet. Additionally, she retired from the military after serving 27 years and successfully completing 4 combat tours as a Colonel from the United States Army Reserve’s Medical Services Corps. She lives by her own two philosophies, “Always Willing Serve” and “Dream Your Own Dreams.”
She is also well known around the world for her curriculum study guides: “Curriculum Study Guide for Kendrick Lamar’s 2025 Super Bowl Halftime performance,” “Black Fathers Matter: Unpacking the Kirk Franklin Story,” and “Curriculum Study Guide about the Montgomery Riverboat Brawl.”
In her spare time, she loves spending time with family and friends, catching a good movie, reading a good book, and doing absolutely nothing.
For press inquiries, contact lindahollowayspeak@gmail.com