Perspectives S31/Ep39: Meet Lulu the One and Only

This clever book—part story, part writing prompt—will help boost kids’ self-esteem as they follow Lulu’s lead to discover their very own power phrase. Lulu loves her biracial family, but people are always asking what are you? Lulu hates that question. Her brother hates it too and inspires her to come up with one line that perfectly describes her so she can easily express who she is, not what she is. Author Lynnette Mawhinney is my guest. She is Chair of, and an Associate Professor in, the Department of Urban Education at Rutgers University-Newark, at which she is also affiliated faculty in the African American and African Studies Department. She helps to prepare future urban teachers for the classroom and her academic research focuses on autoethnographic explorations around biracial identity and development. Dr. Mawhinney has published four books and 27 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, including ones on biracial identity.