I grew up in a mixed ethnicity family. My dad did not teach me his Native language because of embarrassment and shame stemming from his lived experiences. From segregation to harassment my Father did not want his children to struggle as he did. As I grew up, I learned my history and was proud to share that part of my culture with the world. Part of me always felt a little disconnected from family and parts of my culture because I didn’t know the language. I had the privilege of learning in college and by studying abroad. I am still not perfectly fluent, and it is something I wish I learned sooner. It will always remind me of my dad. I originally came across the set at our local Goodwill. We went back multiple times trying to find the wand, but never found it. I ended up researching the brand and purchased the wand. Teaching my son, who is two now, both languages is extremely important to me. To see something like this, literally brought tears to my eyes and excitement in my heart. There is no price on the gift of language, heritage, and culture. Not to mention, the content of the book is extraordinary and powerful and uplifting. I was shocked when I used the wand for the first time and it not only read the words but it also provide the vocabulary for any illustration on the page. Very impressed. Thank you to the team for providing such a tool to encourage the diversity of all families.
