Foreword by Candice Iloh
In
this collaborative novel, ten diverse young writers from Washington,
DC recreate the historic year 2020 from their perspectives, through
fictional stories inspired by their own lived experiences. Told
chronologically from the onset of the pandemic to the insurrection of
January 6th, their stories of change and resilience are accompanied
by maps, social media, original artwork, and real-life headlines to
create an immersive experience of an unprecedented coming of age.
You’ll
meet Faiza, a Muslim high school student, who struggles to celebrate
Ramadan during the worst of the COVID-19 shutdowns. You’ll protest
with Roman, the only Black student in his class, whose relationships
are challenged in the wake of the murder of George Floyd. You’ll
face the fraught 2020 election with Dennis, a young Nigerian
immigrant, as he questions a democracy that seems to count him out.
By
examining the shards of this shattered year, these authors explore
“what it cost us” through stories that both acknowledge loss and
celebrate what got us through.
