HARTFORD, Conn. — A Hartford educator and entrepreneur, Fina Lowman is on a mission to amplify minority voices through literature and art.
"No matter what we look like, we can all get together; we can all communicate," said Lowman. "It doesn't matter what we look like; let's just stop all that negative and just come together and just be one."
Lowman is a Community Support Service Provider within Hartford Public Schools to connect families and students to necessary resources. She said through her work and personal circumstances; she realized there was also a considerable need for representation in children's literature.
This inspired Lowman to write and publish her first children's book, "Liah and Otto, My Brother, and Me." The story highlights the melting pot of cultures and diverse families in Connecticut.
"It's about a little girl growing up, and her family adopts a little boy, but she doesn't know what he looks like. She thinks he might be a dragon or a dinosaur, but it's a little boy opposite her race," said Lowman.
She said emphasizing adoption and diversity through her words is one thing, but having kids see it takes it to a new level.
"I purposely make characters black or brown, so little ones like my daughters or the community I work for see themselves in the book," passionately explained Lowman.
Lowman's colleague, Joyce Bennett, said her work is vital, especially for their students.
"Our kids see so many injustices in the world, and our kids see that we can all still get along even though you're different," said Bennett.
Bennett stressed that now more than ever, representation matters, and Lowmans efforts to make an impact are making a difference.
"Kids get a chance to see themselves in these books and get a better understanding of life to help them along the way," passionately explained Bennett.
Lowman said her efforts to impact kids through art and literacy would never waver. She said she is now working to kickstart her second book, which will help kids, especially children of color, deal with grief.
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Raquel Harrington is the race and culture reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at rharrington@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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