A project that involves youth in writing, publishing, and selling their own books.

How would you feel about a writing and publishing project that would require you to reach out to a group of teenagers who have absolutely no interest in these activities? Probably not favorably. Anika Naliah, founder of the BOOK OF HOPE project in Somerville, Ma., flew in the face of convention and gave birth to this innovative program. In March of 1999 Naliah approached the MYSTIC LEARNING CENTER of the MYSTIC HOUSING DEVELOPMENT in Somerville and proposed her BOOK OF HOPE idea. Naliah, who formerly taught in New York City schools, felt she could empower youth to write, publish and sell their own books. Cecily Miller, the former head of the SOMERVILLE ARTS COUNCIL, helped get the funding necessary to get the project off the ground. Naliah has helped youuth ( 15 to 21) to write, publish and market books, when shortly before they had no interest in reading or writing.BOOKS OF HOPE has published over ninety books since starting just four years ago. I had the pleasure of interviewing Naliah, and three of her young writers ( RJL, Erinia Meyers, Natasha Placide), on my Somerville Community Access TV Show, POET TO POET: WRITER TO WRITER. The writers' work explores their experience with racism, their nascent stabs at love, their confusion and their excitement with the world, their relationships with friends, family, etc...What was most evident in talking with this band of writers from the Somerville projects was their sense of pride in their work, and their positive attitude.Naliah told me that her act of altruism spurred her on to write her own collection of short stories, FREE ( Doubleday 2002) The stories examine the turbulent lives of African-Americans. PUBLISHERS WEEKLY wrote of the author: " Naliah is a strong storyteller who creates well-defined characters, and she's at her best putting them in unusual situations that force the characters and readers think outside the box."