Cheryl Willis Hudson, Author & Founder of Just Us Books shares with us her insight into motherhood and life.
Nearly two decades ago Wade and Cheryl Hudson were parents on a desperate search for children’s books that reflected the diversity of Black history, heritage and experiences. Disappointed by the limited number and their unreliable availability, the couple embarked upon a mission: to produce the kind of positive, vibrant Black-interest books that they wanted for their own two children. Combining their professional experience in marketing and graphic design, Wade and Cheryl developed the AFRO-BETS A B C Book, which taught the alphabet using Afrocentric themes and images. They began presenting the idea to various publishing houses. Although most editors liked the concept, the Hudsons received rejection after rejection. “There’s no market for Black children’s books,” one editor said.
“We always knew that there was a tremendous need for books that Black children could relate to,” says Cheryl. “But when we received letters written in crayon from 3 and 4-year old children who couldn’t wait to show us that they could write the alphabet, or share drawings they did of their favorite AFRO-BETS character, that really validated our belief and inspired us even more."
The Hudsons were so inspired, in fact, that when they published their second title, the AFRO-BETS 1 2 3 Book a year later, they launched along with it their own publishing company. The couple had no prior experience running a company, but they stepped out on faith, withdrew all the money from their personal savings and set up shop in their home to start Just Us Books. ClubMom recently named Cheryl Willis Hudson as one of their ExpertMoms, where she shares stories and tips about diversity, family literacy, starting your own business and the love of books. She has written over 20 children’s books, including the picture book classic Bright Eyes, Brown Skin; Many Colors of Mother Goose; and Come By Here, Lord: Everyday Prayers for Children, selected as children’s book of the year for 2003 by BlackBoard, Inc. (Just Us Books, Inc.); Hold Christmas In Your Heart, What Do You Know, Snow!; and the What a Baby! board book series (Scholastic, Inc.); Hands Can and Construction Zone, both published by Candlewick Press.
ymib: In your opinion. what tips should every woman of color know about raising our sons and what tips should we all know about raising our daughters?
Cheryl: Women of color know that our lives are spiritual, mental and physical. In raising our children we must be careful to convey the need for a sense of balance as we navigate through the universe. Although as African Americans, we may be tempted to be "contained" in our experience within the United States, we must teach our children that the world is a global village. I would say, definitely teach your sons and daughters about their family history, their community history, their world history and their legacy. We as parents have a responsibility to share this with them. But teach them also that here is a need to be open to the experiences and life lessons that people of color across the planet have to share. It's important that they maintain a "teachable spirit."
ymib: How important is the connection between sisterhood and motherhood within our culture?
Cheryl: This connection is critical to our personal consciousness and our potential growth. Sisters have much to share with each other, whether it's tips on taking care of ourselves within relationships, catching a sale, preparing to give birth, raising our children, helping our sons and our daughters with their homework in grade school or helping them prepare for college entrance exams. Mothers are the first teachers and their is so much that we can do to help our children become productive adults if we just bond with them in a special way when they are growing up.
I had a wonderful confirmation of this as a group of mothers organized ourselves to help plan a "rites of passage" celebration for our daughters around the age of 13 and 14. As we talked about the kinds of things that an African American teenager needed to know in order to become a confident woman, the mothers found that we bonded in a sisterhood of memories, past fears and missteps and strategies we learned during our coming of age that might also help our daughters. I think that by becoming closer as sisters we also grew as mothers and were better able to pass on our legacies to our daughters. Their rites of passage became a rites of passage for the mothers as well.
ymib: What have been some of the most important life lessons that you have learned while being a mother thus far, and that you would want another mother to know and carry with her throughout her life?
Cheryl: I've learned that it's never too late to learn. There's always someone in the universe who knows more than you. A true friend is priceless. Your sisters are sympathetic and empathetic and you should be open to their help and support. Above all, there is nothing greater than God and that the spirit of the universe leans toward justice. As a mother, I want my children to keep faith, confidence, love and joy at the center of their journeys through life. I don't want "fear of the unknown" be a deterrent to their journey.
ymib: What are some things that you have learned about yourself while on the journey of life?
Cheryl: I've learned that you have to follow your personal dreams and be true to yourself. We all come to the planet with special gifts. If you acknowledge and embrace those gifts, that knowledge will lead you on a path to help fulfill your dreams through meaningful work and relationships. As a child I always loved reading and doodling, but had no idea that I could make a career our of it. But I followed my passion and became a writer, creator and publisher of books for young people. This path has been fulfilling personally and professionally. But I've also learned that it's not necessary or even healthy to try to do everything by yourself. People need people and sharing your gifts and your needs with others makes life so much more rewarding. What you give to life ultimately comes back to you.
ymib: What are the 3 main reasons why it is important for you to keep doing what you do?
Cheryl: What I do professionally (through working in Just Us Books, the company founded by my husband and myself) is to help maintain an institution that is a source and repository of stories that affirm that the lives and experiences of Black children are important and valuable to themselves and to the world. It's important for all children to see themselves positively reflected in the literature that they read. It's important that our children connect with the words and the images. It's important that they see possibilities for growth and success by seeing successful Black folk in print. It's important to help counteract the other negative images and messages they are bombarded with from TV and advertising and other forms of media that intrude on their personal space. It's also important to record my personal history through story as an affirmation of my own journey. Creating books for children helps me remember what I have forgotten over the years. It's fun but it's work. I also believe that we are all assigned a special task or tasks to fulfill as individuals on the planet. And that if we don't do what we're supposed to do, it won't get done!
ymib: What things do you do daily/routinely to fulfill inner peace within your soul?
Cheryl: I pray. I meditate. I take hot showers and sing. I listen to spirituals.
Cheryl: There are three:
"Have faith in God and He will direct thy path." (Holy Bible)
"O wad some power the giftie gi'e us to see ourselves as others see us. It would from many a blunder free us and foolish notion." (Robert Burns)
"Beautiful also are the souls of my people." (Langston Hughes)
1. We should never expect that our children will become carbon copies of ourselves.
2. We should never assume that just because we are mothers and fathers that our understanding of the universe supersedes that of our children.
3. We should never assume that we know all there is to know.
your son and/or daughter?Cheryl: Our daughter's emergence from her rites of passage celebration was beautiful and our son's graduation from college and presentation of his senior art show was extraordinary. Both of these events made Wade and me very proud of our children's achievements, discipline, growth and emergence into adulthood. These events confirmed that they, like millions of others are young gifted, black and surefooted. They have both been a blessing to us in our personal lives and in the growth of our family business.
