Author Khristi Lauren Adams Centers the Activism of 'Black Girls in Black Girls Unbossed'

When Khristi Lauren Adams began working on her new book, Black Girls Unbossed: Young World Changers Leading the Way, she knew she wanted to highlight the long history of Black girls and young women who have worked to transform the world around them. Throughout Black Girls Unbossed, Adams introduces readers to eight young activists and leaders who have dedicated themselves to issues including literacy, preservation, and gun violence prevention.

The FBomb recently had the chance to ask Adams about her new book, teen activism, and the inspiration she drew from meeting these young changemakers.

In the introduction to Black Girls Unbossed: Young World Changers Leading the Way, you note that several Black teen girls played prominent roles in the civil rights movement and highlight their stories. Many of us didn’t learn about girls like Audrey Faye Hendricks and Claudette Colvin in school. Can you tell us a bit about when you learned about these powerful girls and why you wanted to uplift them in your introduction?

Black women and girls played pivotal roles in our history, but their contributions were often erased. Black women and girls had pivotal roles in the anti-slavery movement, civil rights movement, women’s suffrage movement, and other social movements in American history. In my efforts to highlight the work of contemporary young Black girl leaders, I felt like it was important to begin the book by highlighting the names and contributions of their foremothers. Actually, I make sure to weave in the names, work, and sacrifices of those same women throughout the book. There were some familiar names, like Harriet Tubman and Fannie Lou Townsend Hamer, but other women, like Ginger Smock or Septima Poinsette Clark, may not necessarily be as familiar to some. By uplifting their names throughout the book, I also argue that the work of contemporary Black girl leaders is not new. Black women and girls have been leading for generations.

One of the most stressful things about being a teen is knowing that many adults don’t take you or your ideas seriously. What is your advice for teens who want to get into activism but aren’t sure how to get their voices heard?

I like to remind teens that their very existence suggests that they were put on this earth for a purpose that is unique to them. It’s about discovering ways they can live out their purpose using their gifts and the platform and resources within their reach. If you are a teenager and you’re reading this, you are not too young, and it is not too early for you to use your voice and gifting for good in this world. If you have an audience of one or over a thousand, you can spark change.

The young leaders profiled in this book run the gamut from mental health advocates to climate justice activists. What was it like getting to know the girls profiled in this book and bringing their stories and tips for their fellow kids and teens to life?

Getting to know the girls was a breath of fresh air. They give me hope for the future of this world. I was inspired, challenged, and motivated. There is a part of me that truly believes that one of them (if not all of them) is the next Vice President Kamala Harris, Ketanji Brown Jackson, or Stacey Abrams. Because of that, I considered it an honor to interview them at the beginning stages of their lives and careers.

Many teens profiled in this book are also wise beyond their years. What did you learn from them as you wrote this book, and how have you incorporated that knowledge into your own life?

They dropped so many gems and still do as I continue getting to know them well after the book was written. One of the main lessons I learned is that no matter the stage I am in life, I have permission to evolve into the person I was created to be in whatever way that winds up happening. These girls seem to just go with the flow of life and adapt. If there was a crisis, they adapted. When it was time to go to college and venture into new terrain, they adapted to that. If they decided they wanted to try another hobby or change majors or step down from a position in their organization, they do so unapologetically. They know that life’s changes allow them to grow and become more fully human. What a lesson that is for all of us.