Who WE Are – Atiya Chase

Atiya Chase works every day with students at George Read Middle School as a teaching Specialist with Jobs for Delaware Grads, but she’s also the co-author of a children’s book. “I Love Your Brown” is a book inspired by Chase’s then three-year-old daughter Bella who was questioning her skin color since she saw very few people who looked like her at school, church, and other social spaces. That’s when Chase solicited the help of another mom, Daneya Jacobs of Middletown to co-write the book. Together the moms hit social media asking for girls of color to be models.

Khalise Ali Brokenbrough, a fourth-grade student from Southern Elementary School, was among those picked not only to be photographed in the book but also on the cover. “Khalise’s mom works for the district as well so that’s cool, and they’re great supporters of the project. “I Love Your Brown” sells at Barnes and Noble and on Amazon. The book, for girls ages four to eight, has affirmative messages like “Your biggest competition is you- it’s not the brown girl standing next to you.” Chase says she hopes girls take away life-changing lessons. The overall message is for girls to love themselves, and if they love themselves then they will have no problems loving girls of all shades of colors and creeds.”

To find out how to get the book visit: https://www.amazon.com/Love-Your-Brown-Dane%C3%BDa-Jacobs/dp/1480828688