Obama Talks Back: Global Lessons – A Dialogue with America’s Young Leaders,” a book of students’ letters accompanied by President Obama’s responses, speeches, public statements and quotations during his presidency is among the literary nominees for the 44th Annual NAACP Image Awards.
It is competing with four other books aimed at the youth/teen market:. Fire in the Streets – Kekla Magoon (Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing), Pinned – Sharon G. Flake (Scholastic Press);The Diary of B. B. Bright, Possible Princess – Alice Randall (Author), Caroline Williams (Author), Shadra Strickland (Illustrator) (Turner Publishing Company) and The Mighty Miss Malone – Christopher Paul Curtis (Wendy Lamb Books (Random House Children’s Books)
The nominees were announced Dec. 11 in Beverly Hills, Calif. by a panel of writers that included Anthony Anderson (Guys with Kids), Neicy Nash (The Soul Man), Yvette Nicole Brown (Community), Garcelle Beauvais (Flight), Tyler James Williams (Go On) and Zendaya (Shake It Up).
NAACP Chairman Roslyn M. Brock stated, “We are proud to celebrate the artists and activists who use their craft to share positive images of our culture, the artistic community is an important ally for social justice, and the NAACP Image awards provides an excellent venue to recognize those who make a difference through art and activism.”
The NAACP Image Awards celebrates the accomplishments of people of color in the fields of television, music, literature and film and also honors individuals or groups who promote social justice through creative endeavors. Winners will be announced during the two-hour event Feb. 1 at 8:00pm EST live / PST tape delayed on NBC.
“On behalf of Amber Books, author Gregory J. Reed, Esq. and the Keeper of the Word Foundation, we are extremely excited and honored to have been nominated and want to thank the NAACP Image Awards Executive Director, Vicangello Bulluck; Literary Coordinator, Annette Thomas and the NAACP Image Awards Sub-Committee Members for nominating Obama Talks Back: Global Lessons – A Dialogue with America’s Young Leaders,” stated Tony Rose, Publisher/CEO, Amber Communications Group, Inc. “President Barack Obama achieved a landslide victory in 2008 and 2012. He has touched the lives of young people more so than any previous president. During his presidency, he sought to continue that inspiration by maintaining an engaged relationship with our nation’s youth.”
Rose added, “The outstanding and historic collection of students’ letters in the book accompanied with President Obama’s responses, speeches, public statements, and quotations during his campaign, tenure as President-Elect, and his presidency, is the most comprehensive collection of letters and responses ever assembled as a book in the history of our nation for a sitting president. The letters featuring the voices of today’s young leaders and President Barack Obama are priceless, timeless, inspiring and powerful.”
