Characteristics of Enabling Texts: Grandma’s Gift by Eric Velasquez and http://ericvelasquez.com
Characteristic
Definition
Provide a Healthy
Psyche
 lead them to look within
 show AA teens defining themselves
Provide a modern
awareness of the
real world
 connected to issues/questions that
Focus on the
collective struggles
of AA
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students find essential today
 take place w/in the context of their
life experiences
 deal with issues that are important
to AA adolescents (ELIS)
 present “real”
environments/conditions AA teens
face inside and outside school
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 provide insight into issues related
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Serve as a road map
for being, doing,
thinking and acting
Examples / Quotes from Grandma’s
Gift
to social justice
allow AA adolescents to take a
critical look at their oppression &
oppressors
contain content that will cause
them to take action in their own
lives
challenge them to think about their
existence
cause them to examine the
academic & social ills they face
 reflect an improved human
condition
 suggest steps/strategies/supports
for improving life
 speak to the power of the
individual
 speak to the power of the collective
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Autobiographical picture
book of what inspired Eric
Velaquez to become an
artist
What do you do when it feels
like you are in a situation
where no one is like you.
Multigenerational family
experiences.
Separation of neighborhoods
by culture.
Author’s note at the end of the
book talks more about how
this experience was a wake up
call for him as previously “all
of my heroes, sadly, did not
look like me”
Pair with author’s website to
show the work and success
that has resulted from this
initial challenge.
When Eric is in a unfamiliar
situation where he feels no
one is like him:
He focuses on helping others,
helping his grandmother
translate signs.
He eventually works to change
the situation. Much of his
current work is creating more
images of black heroes in
books and art.
What is inspiring you about a
possible future career? How
will you make the world a
better place?
Recognize, honor &
nurture multiple
identities
Demonstrate
resiliency
Interesting--deeply
penetrating
“Good writing”
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academic
cultural
economic
gendered
personal
social
sexual
communal
national
international
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focus on self-reliance
focus on self-determination
shows AA males as problem solvers
challenges victim mentality
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thematically engaging
complex--multi- layered
developmentally appropriate
fast moving
provocative
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intellectual curiosity
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Connected to other
texts
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Avoids caricatures
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hoopster
fatherless son
gang recruit
dummy
truant
purveyor of poor grammar
scorned for being smart
trying to break from norms of
impoverished neighborhood
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Despite being unfamiliar Eric
& Grandma visit the
museum
Eric translates signs for
Grandma when she has
trouble
Multiple ways to engage with
the text: Spanish, food, art,
feeling isolated.
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 taps into feelings, imagination, and
Celebrates both sides of
author’s Afro-Puerto-Rican
heritage.
Trip to the museum is an art
project for school.
Helps make traditional
Christmas dish for and with
the family and larger
community.
Detailed description of how
to make pastels, a traditional
dish, in the book, recipe on
the website.
Story of a real living person
that students can find out
more about, write to, have
visit the school.
website for this author has
his bio and further.
other works by this author
show the difference he has
made with his art.
Challenges stereotypes of both
African American and Latino
students.
 beating the odds--”made it”
Aligns with one or
more literacy
platforms
define self
become resilient
engage others
build capacity
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Taking pride in where he
came from.
Using his gifts to help others
and change the world.