The poem from which BLACK UNDER derives its title opens with a resounding declaration: "I am black and black underneath." These words are an anthem that reverberates throughout Ashanti Anderson's debut short collection. We feel them as we navigate her poems' linguistic risks and shifts and trumpets, as we straddle scales that tip us toward trauma's still-bloody knife in one turn then into cutting wit and shrewd humor in the next. We hear them amplified through Anderson's dynamic voice, which sings of anguish and atrocities and also of discovery and beauty. BLACK UNDER layers outward perception with internal truth to offer an almost-telescopic examination of the redundancies--and incongruences--of marginalization and hypervisibility. Anderson torques the contradictions of oppression, giving her speakers the breathing room to discover their own agency. In these pages, declarations are reclamations, and joy is not an aspiration but a birthright.

"This is an excellent examination of the ways wealth, gender, and color can shape and at times create mental and emotional fractures. Verdict: A great title for public and high school libraries looking for books that offer a nuanced look at patriarchy, wealth, and gender dynamics." —School Library Journal (starred review) "Bromfield may have made a name for herself for her role on Riverdale, but with this debut, about a volatile father-daughter relationship and discovering the ugly truths hidden beneath even the most beautiful facades, she is establishing herself as a promising writer...this is a must." —Booklist (starred review) In this sweeping debut, Asha Bromfield takes readers to the heart of Jamaica, and into the soul of a girl coming to terms with her family, and herself, set against the backdrop of a hurricane. Tilla has spent her entire life trying to make her father love her. But every six months, he leaves their family and returns to his true home: the island of Jamaica. When Tilla’s mother tells her she’ll be spending the summer on the island, Tilla dreads the idea of seeing him again, but longs to discover what life in Jamaica has always held for him. In an unexpected turn of events, Tilla is forced to face the storm that unravels in her own life as she learns about the dark secrets that lie beyond the veil of paradise—all in the midst of an impending hurricane. Hurricane Summer is a powerful coming of age story that deals with colorism, classism, young love, the father-daughter dynamic—and what it means to discover your own voice in the center of complete destruction.

What if you woke up to discover that you’re not who or what you think you are? In a world where most people define their reality by what is tangible, Ashanti remembers a world beyond. As the life she knows comes crashing down around her, an inter-dimensional portal opens up to reveal a realm of sacred codes, mysterious inter-galactic beings, super human feats and a love that has survived eternity. Each and every step she takes is fueled with divine purpose, touching the lives of all who cross her path, leaving them changed forever. The stage is set and the curtain is drawn to reveal a world where the lines between fiction and nonfiction are blurred, exposing the magic that is Ashanti’s Symphony. Ashanti’s Symphony/ Reviews I just finished the book 2 days ago...there are no words...the best book I have ever read, life changing, my world looks different now, more beautiful. Thankyou so much for your gift xxxxx (Louise B) Half way into your book and I've cried, laughed, smiled and felt every cell of emotions come to surface....touched the core of my heart.....I'm completely in awe.... I'm in the vortex and loving the journey!!! To say it's out of this world doesn't even cut it...it's friggin brilliant!!! :)))) I love, love, love, love it... I want more!!!!! Xxxx (Poppy D) "In Lak'ech Ala K'in" has a powerful frequency! Last night it happened..the instant my eyes read this code in "Ashanti's Symphony" on my kindle, I felt my heart pound, followed by sobs and tears. I knew I'd been activated for my spirituality had been dimmed since my father passed 2 years ago, but I was also aware of Spirit's trust in my "Brightening its path" someday. Spirit does love unconditionally. Thank you Lenita Vangellis for your precious, creative and spiritual gift to humanity. (thegoodlife4eva) Thank you! Your book has been handed to me at a perfect time and for some reasons I understand and others I am yet to uncover. Your beautiful soul radiates and inspires. Thank you x (Pauline G) Namaste Lenita! I picked up Ashanti’s Symphony last night on the NEW Moon! I couldn’t put it down! Even though I relate and understand absolutely every word of it- it just captivated me! Especially that part of me that is here for all humanity! I stayed up late again (3am) reading...reading.....reading last night! Very hard to put it down! This MasterPeace of storytelling will absolutely touch the hearts and awaken all who are graced and guided to read it! Just writing to some friends today I described your inspiring work as thrilling... enthralling...captivating...mind expanding...elucidating and liberating! I really treasure the way you so cleverly weave the Universal principles through your dialogue! A Master once told me to always wrap up the truth in a delectable wrapper and you have done it so adeptly! This Masterpeace is a must for all the awakening neophytes out there and I will be networking it far and wide! Thank you for your Herculean efforts on behalf of this sacred planet we currently journey and reunite upon - to support all who seek the Light of reason!! (Robin B) I feel absolutely in awe of the synchronistic events that have led me to you and your beautiful book. I would like to express my gratitude to you for bringing this timely creative spiritual book to humanity. We are living in amazing magical times. Your Book is going to be a major catalyst to the next wave of awakening and expanding the human consciousness ... I feel this and your Love is already working it magic....the Butterfly effect.... my heart is expanding since reading only 1

Afia is a young girl who dreams of being a princess but she doesn't know of any princesses who look like her. As she travels to her motherland, Ghana, Afia is about to find out something truly extraordinary about her family history. Maybe, after all, princesses like Afia do exist and their stories still inspire.This is the debut story in the Ashanti Princess and Prince book series. The purpose of this series is to:1. Emphasize the importance of Black representation in children's books;2. Introduce young girls and boys of African descent to stories which allow them to relate to the main characters;3. Empower children to develop confidence and a sense of pride in their African heritage;4. Encourage children to learn about their family history and cultural heritage; and5. Inspire readers to develop an interest in learning about Ghanaian history and cultureAbout the Author Crystal Boateng was born and raised in Kumasi, Ghana. She moved to Massachusetts at a young age with her family.She is a proud alumna of Mount Holyoke College and holds a law degree and MBA from the University of Connecticut. Crystal has two children, Whitney and Leo, who are her inspiration behind Afia the Ashanti Princess: A Visit to the Motherland. She wrote this book to introduce young readers of African descent to a non-traditional princess story so that they can identify with the main character. Her hope is to inspire young readers of her Ashanti Princess book series to develop an interest in further learning about Ghanaian culture and history.

Artists Leo and Diane Dillon won their second consecutive Caldecott Medal for this stunning ABC of African culture. "Another virtuoso performance. . . . Such an astute blend of aesthetics and information is admirable, the child's eye will be rewarded many times over."--Booklist. ALA Notable Book; Caldecott Medal.

" This volume consists of nine studies, each describing the world outlook of an African people as expressed in their myths of creation, traditions of origin, and religious beliefs. The studies are concerned with such widely divergent systems of thought as the complex metaphysical system of the Dogon of French West Africa, the magical cults of the Abuluyia of Kenya, the religious practices of the Lele of Kasai, in which the forest plays a dominant part, the secret societies of the Mende, and the ancestor cult of the Ashanti. The authors show how closely concepts of the divine ordering of the universe are related to the organization of society and the everyday activities of men, so that the enthronement of a king or chief, the brewing of beer, the building of a granary, the organization of a hunt, all have symbolic significance and are accompanied by appropriate rituals. The wealth of imagery and symbolism displayed in many of these myths, and the subtlety of the metaphysical concepts, will be a revelation to those who have not studied the thought of so-called primitive societies. Rarely out of print since it was first published in 1954, this new edition has an introduction by Professor Wendy James of the Institute of Cultural and Social Anthropology, Oxford. Contents: Introduction, Daryll Forde; The Lele of Kasai, Mary Douglas; The Abaluyia of Kavirondo (Kenya), Gunter Wagner; The Lovedu of the Transvaal, J. D. Krige/E. J. Krige; The Dogon of the French Sudan, Marcel Griaule/Germaine Dieterlen; The Mende in Sierra Leone, Kenneth Little; The Shilluk of the Upper Nile, Godfrey Lienhardt; The Kingdom of Ruanda, J. J. Maquet; The Ashanti of the Golden Coast, K. A. Busia; The Fon of Dahomey, P. Mercier. Daryll Forde was Professor of Anthropology, University London and Director of the International African Institute. "

A scholarly analysis of the close relationships among the structure, function, and history of the sub-Saharan African arts.