Certain that his children would face discrimination, Joel Assogba felt compelled to write his first book at the birth of his first daughter.
“When my eldest daughter was born, I was in the room and I felt that I needed to do something so she could feel secure in the world,” Assogba said in an interview with CBC Edmonton’s Radio Active.
“I started publishing books to combat racism when my children were born in Japan, in a society where they marginalize people of colour, people that are different.”
The Edmonton children’s author has published a series of books intended to educate the next generation on intolerance and the importance of inclusion.
Born and raised in Togo, West Africa, Assogba attended post-secondary school in Quebec and B.C., then lived in Japan for 20 years, where he raised three mixed-ethnicity children.
‘It’s not going to change overnight’
As a father, it was a heartbreaking time for Assogba. His worst fears about how his children would be ostracized from Japanese society were quickly realized.
His children were often teased by other kids because of the color of their skin. “Black and dirty” were among the most common and cruel racial slurs hurled across the playground, Assogba said.
He felt a lack of education for children about acceptance was to blame and took it upon himself to create his own stories.
His first book entitled What colour are Burdocks? is about a boy who was ostracized for his appearance. Assogba went on to publish several more trilingual books, touring schools across Japan sharing his message.
For Assogba, there is no doubt the fight against racism starts with children.
“It’s very important to touch the hearts of the little ones so they have strong sense of love and compassion in their background when they grow up,” he said.
“Of course, it’s not going to change overnight, but by focusing on the grassroots, by focusing on children, day by day, I hope that we can overcome.”
‘We live in a rainbow nation’
Having moved to Edmonton three years ago, Assogba says minorities in Canada face their own set of challenges. Racism may not be as overt as it is in other countries, but it’s still prevalent.
That will not change unless the next generation learns a new way of thinking, said Assogba.
His next children’s book will attempt to showcase the diversity of Canadian society by detailing 200 notable accomplishments of people across the country.
“So we can show the children that we live in a rainbow nation and people from all backgrounds contribute in a positive way in our society,” said Assogba. “I think it’s important to portray that positive image.”