The ABC’s of Survival was created based on the long history of racial injustice in America and the escalation of more recent police brutality, murder of innocent Black Americans, and protests sweeping the country. In America, for generations, Black parents have had “the talk” with their children about how to survive. It’s a spoken talk that has not previously been put down to paper. It’s a talk that should not exist, yet still needs to happen. The ABC’s of Survival was created to draw attention to “the talk,” help families have “the talk,” and ultimately help end “the talk” so that this book will hopefully not be needed in the future.

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The ABC’s of Survival is art directed and curated to celebrate Black artists, honor history, support youth mental health, and create change in local communities. The cover of the book is minimal with just a hint of the subject matter that will be found inside and the apostrophe on the cover is upside down — a small yet powerful defiance of the status quo. The color palette is a bold consistent use of black, white, and orange that provides stark contrasts in the narrative. We directed 21 different artists to create unique artwork that would all cohesively work together for the final piece. The book is designed with loud pages, quiet pages, and moments for introspection. Every detail was directed with care, including the selection of stamps for the tear-out postcards which feature Black playwright August Wilson, in honor of Black History Month.