Carolina Ixta, J.R. Rice, Rhonda Roumani

In a country that tries to erase our troubled history of the oppressive treatment of certain groups, today’s youth are forced to find their footing in an increasingly unsteady world that rejects their exploration of different identities and experiences. Join Oakland writers Carolina Ixta (Shut Up, This is Serious) and J.R. Rice (Broken Pencils) for an impactful panel discussion focused on teen mental health and the difficult choices that young people face as they come of age. Cognizant of the unique struggles that come with growing up in diverse Bay Area communities, these novels present adolescence in a brutally honest and heart-wrenching light, touching on topics like teen pregnancy, drugs, and sexual harassment, while treating readers with both tenderness and tough love in a way that teaches us to demand respect for ourselves, no matter our origins. Joining them will be Rhonda Roumani (Tagging Freedom) whose book follows Kareem Haddad, a young graffiti artist from war-torn Damascus, is inspired to use his art to protest the violence around him, while his cousin Samira in the United States grapples with fitting in and standing up for what’s right. As Kareem’s secret messages spark a movement, both teens must confront the power of activism and the personal choices they must make in the face of war and societal pressure. Moderated by social justice advocate and community leader Xochtil Larios, whose social reform work has earned her the California Endowment 2018 Youth Award and a Soros Youth Justice Fellowship, this discussion will resonate with both teens and adults, offering insight into the universal experience of finding one’s way through the maze of mental health, difficult choices, family, and identity.