SHOUT MOUSE PRESS INC
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Mission Statement
Shout Mouse Press is a nonprofit writing and publishing program dedicated to amplifying underheard voices. Through writing workshops that lead to professional publication, we invite young people from marginalized backgrounds to tell their own stories in their own voices and, as published authors, to act as leaders and agents of change.
About This Cause
WE BELIEVE We believe everyone has a story to tell. We believe everyone has the ability to tell it. We believe by listening to the stories we tell each other—whether true or imagined--we are learning empathy, humility, community, and grace. We believe we need to see ourselves in the stories we read, regardless of race, gender, religion, sexuality, or ability. In fact, we believe this is especially true for those who are told that their stories do not matter--those who have been historically oppressed, whose narratives repressed. We believe the best way to honor someone is to hear them, and we are passionate about sharing these underheard voices with the world. OUR CHALLENGE Shout Mouse launched in 2014 in response to an eye-opening statistic: in a country where half of all five-year-olds are people of color, only 10% of children’s books featured characters like them. All of America’s children were not seeing themselves as heroes with valuable stories, and this degrades their literacy, self-esteem, and success. Recently there has been an increase in books featuring characters of color, but nearly all (80%) book creators identify as white, which can reinforce damaging single stories told by outsiders. This lack of authentic representation is especially damaging in today's divisive climate, in which incidents of hate and bias have increased dramatically within schools. Our work responds to this urgent need for responsible, representative, #OwnVoices counter-narratives that help foster community, expand empathy, and educate a more tolerant and inclusive next generation. OUR OPPORTUNITY At Shout Mouse, we believe in the power of #OwnVoices. The communities we serve are underrepresented, both as characters and as creators, in the traditional publishing marketplace. We believe that by supporting these groups to write and publish their own books, we can amplify authentic voices who respond to community needs. Our authors change and reclaim the narrative, adding necessary complexity, empathy, and humanity to the stories of marginalized communities — and prove themselves as powerful thought leaders for all. Thus we are building a catalog of mission-driven books by under-represented authors. Our youth authors include incarcerated, immigrant, Black, low-income, and otherwise marginalized youth in Greater Washington, DC. These young people have produced original children's books, comics, novels, memoirs, and poetry collections that expand empathy, advance social justice, and increase understanding of underheard perspectives. There are currently over 70,000 Shout Mouse books in circulation across the country and around the world. Who can be an author? Whose story matters? Who benefits from hearing voices that too often go unheard? Our answers: Anyone. Everyone’s. All of us. OUR PROGRAMS 1. Writing Workshops Our core arts-education Writing Workshops program serves as the first step for nearly all Shout Mouse participants. We coach youth from marginalized communities to write mission-driven books in a variety of genres representing underheard perspectives. We believe in the power of #OwnVoices, and we pass the pen to those who can best represent their communities with authenticity, knowledge, and understanding. 2. Publishing Our Publishing program aims to center marginalized perspectives through youth-authored books that will diversify the next generation’s bookshelves. We actively promote and sell these books, both in traditional and educational marketplaces, because we believe that peer voices are powerful voices, and they can engage audiences in ways that adult authors cannot. We also provide platforms for emerging artists from marginalized backgrounds by connecting them to industry mentors and hiring them to illustrate their first children’s book. 3. Author Talks Our Author Talks program is one of two post-publication leadership opportunities for all Shout Mouse authors. Our authors are routinely invited to serve as guest speakers--in school, university, community, and literary spaces--as a way to address community issues on which they are truly experts but rarely consulted. We provide training for these public speaking engagements as well as transportation and honoraria for all authors. 4. Author Pathways Our Author Pathways program is our newest post-publication leadership development track for Shout Mouse authors. Pathways encompasses a variety of career and college access supports, including author internships, college and scholarship essay support, and direct contributions to scholarship funds for author communities. OUR IMPACT * 70,000+ Shout Mouse books in circulation (47 U.S. states and 27+ countries around the world) * 8 National Literary Awards, including 4 Book of the Year Designations * $90,000+ raised in scholarship funds for author communities * 16,000+ audience members reached through 100+ Author Talks in schools, libraries, and conferences * 20,000+ books donated to young readers in need * National media attention through the Washington Post, NPR, Edutopia, School Library Journal, Kirkus, and more.