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Children’s Book Authors invited by Mayor Bloomberg to be part of Immigrant Heritage Week
Children’s Book Authors invited by Mayor Bloomberg to be part of Immigrant Heritage Week
Keely and Velani team up with the American Immigration Council to host events across the City
New York, NY—Declared an official, annual celebration by Mayor Bloomberg in 2004, Immigrant Heritage Week honors the vibrant immigrant cultures, heritages and communities found in every corner of the City. Keely and Velani were invited by Mayor Bloomberg’s Office of Immigrant Affairs to share their children’s book Davy Brown Discovers His Roots, which celebrates our immigrant past and our own families’ immigration stories with New Yorkers
This year Immigrant Heritage Week is celebrated from April 15 to April 21. Throughout the week, a rich collection of family friendly events, film screenings, art exhibits and walking tours will promote and reflect the diversity of the immigrant communities in New York City.
The authors will kick off Immigrant Heritage Week with breakfast with Mayor Bloomberg at Gracie Mansion with other participants. “We are very honored to receive this invitation to be part of Immigrant Heritage Week—a week long celebration of America’s diversity on a large scale,” the authors said.
They will host two educators workshops on April 16th and 17th in partnership with the Queens Library and the Lower East Side Tenement Museum. The educators workshop will also feature Claire Tesh from the American Immigration Council’s Community Education Center. Keely and Velani created a working partnership with the American Immigration Council in 2009 and also donate some proceeds of their book sales to the Community Education Center. The workshops will focus on using their book in teaching modern day immigration in the classroom.
Keely and Velani will also have book signings at Ellis Island and a bookstore in the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
About the Authors
Witthöft is an immigrant from South Africa. She graduated from the University of Pretoria in 1999 with two law degrees and practiced bankruptcy law until 2002 when she moved to New York City. She worked for a financial magazine on Wall Street until 2004 when she and her husband moved to Seattle. She is currently a fulltime writer.
Alexander grew up in Western Montana. She attended the University of Montana in Missoula, where she received degrees in English-Literature and German. She has worked in the publishing industry, taught ESL and studied abroad. She now lives in Seattle with her husband and stepdaughter, and works in the casual video games industry.
About Davy Brown Discovers His Roots
Davy Brown is a bright, all-American boy with some not-so-typical problems. His best friend may be leaving the country. His teacher has just instructed the class to describe their own immigration stories—but his family doesn’t have one! And if he fails the class, he may lose his spot on the baseball team. And if all that weren’t bad enough, the cafeteria is serving coleslaw again…
Join Davy and his friends Carlos, Erika, and Amit on their quest as they discover that even the most seemingly typical people have exciting immigration histories. Then, using the resources in this book, embark on your own voyage of discovery—what fascinating immigration stories will you unearth? How many flags adorn your family tree? The answers may surprise and delight you!
About the American Immigration Council
The American Immigration Council is a tax–exempt not-for- Add a Comment