In Richmond Tales, Lost Secrets of the Iron Triangle, Maisha Yates and Mario Reyes form an unlikely friendship. With the guidance of an elderly friend (Misty Horn), they travel back through Richmond history to Native (Ohlone) times, industrial Richmond in the early 20th century, Richmond in 1942 at the beginning of World War II and the Great Migration; and forward into a beautiful, greened Richmond of 2050. Seeing history through a social justice lens, they bring their experiences of the past forward, applying them to the present and envisioning how their new understanding might help make a better and more equitable Richmond in the future.

GOALS:

• attract young people to reading through stories representative of themselves
• connect youth to place by revealing history through their eyes
• reinforce bridges among cultures and present a model of inclusivity
• inspire youth to find themselves in the continuum of history
• offer a forum in the classroom to discuss social justice themes and civil society
• offer a tool of empowerment that articulates hope and helps shape agency
• address the crisis of literacy and by default, the school dropout rate
• offer an interdisciplinary text appropriate for both Language Arts and Social Studies

Themes include connection to place, street violence, bullying, history from below, and restorative justice.