Children have really latched onto this character, and it’s hard for them to understand that it is a character. Everywhere I go, students ask me questions like, “So, when was the last time you saw Danitra?”
And I say, “No, no, no. Danitra’s a character.”
“Oh. So, you guys don’t hang out anymore?”
They really kind of don’t get it that this is a character and not a real person, and they just feel that she is their best friend - which, of course, is a wonderful thing, because Meet Danitra Brown is about best friends and about this relationship. Who hasn’t had a best friend? We’ve all had a best friend, so it’s universal. We’re talking about teasing and secrets, and just the secret fears that we have — the everyday things that children wrestle with. They find these things mirrored in the stories of Danitra and her friend Zuri.
But maybe you don’t really need to. Maybe you just have to give them paper and a pencil every now and then and let them go. I think kids like that will kind of find their way. That’s sort of my feeling. I wasn’t really trained to it, but obviously, it was deep inside of me. The main thing — not just for artistic kids, but for anyone — is to encourage them as they get older and start thinking about careers, to really follow their heart and to go with what they love, rather than maybe following money or things like that — just to really follow their passion.
