I know this is home, but neither of you has a future here.
We need to leave this country for you to be able to SUCCEED AND PROSPER in life.
No matter what happens, your mother and I are going to build a better life for the two of you.
No matter what ... "
This powerful graphic novel is one of the first books published in a collaboration between Colin Kaepernick and Scholastic. Dreamer is the story of a mixed-race hockey player whose journey from his Ukraine homeland to Canada culminates in his playing in the NHL.
Life in the Ukraine was not easy for the family. They felt the sting of racism from people in their community and from their own grandfather. When their parents made the difficult decision to move, their two sons were very unhappy. They did not want to move to Canada. Once settled life was not easier. Their father worked two jobs to support his family while also studying. Speaking Russian and being black made Akim very visible in his new school, and racism raised its ugly head again.
What made life bearable was Akim's love for hockey, and time. From the moment he saw the sport being played on a neighborhood rink, he became obsessed with learning how to play himself. He worked hard with support from his family, and got better and better. His favorite hockey player was Eric Lindros ... he wanted to be the same kind of player. Racism raised its ugly head on many occasions. No matter how hard he worked and how good he was at playing the sport he loved, racism was evident; two people in particular made his hockey career miserable. Player Steve Downie and Coach Bill Peters were responsible for the traumatic, systemic racism and abuse that led to Akim finally speaking out about his experiences.
From a boy who believed in his heart that 'hockey was for everyone' to a man who discovered it was not, Akim's integrity and bravery led to making a difference for all players of color who continue to experience this bigotry from players and fans. In 2020, with six other active and former NHL players, the Hockey Diversity Alliance was announced. It is a non-profit organization designed to introduce hockey to Indigenous and other young players of color; hopefully, it will make hockey a better place for all. At that time, Akim also established the Time to Dream Foundation to make all sports available to youth without attention being paid to race, gender, or socioeconomic status.
Let all Dreamers reach their goals.
What an incredible book this is! Told in first-person with honesty and hope for a better future, it should be available in middle and high school classrooms, in hockey locker rooms, in school libraries and shared with all sports fans, no matter their age.
No comments:
Post a Comment