This past Monday, The Decameron Project collectively hosted an online Zoom call with the author of the bestselling novel, The Hate U Give, Angie Thomas.
The project is comprised of a group of teens that came together to form the organization as a means of creating a safe online space for young readers and writers alike after the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the everyday learning environments for many students. In this installment of their conversation series, students and teachers across the country joined in as they hosted Angie Thomas to discuss her work, her inspirations derived from the Black Lives Matter movement, and the hope younger generations offer as they step up as primary changemakers during this historical time.
Members from The Decameron Project first introduced viewers to Thomas’ work and proceeded to acquaint them with The Hate U Give and its premise. The young adult novel follows 16-year-old Starr Carter as she confronts the difficult reality that ensues after witnessing her best friend be the subject of a fatal case of police brutality. Although the novel was published in 2017, with a major motion picture based on it starring Amandla Stenberg being released just a year later, the events the book follow are parallel to the ones currently happening in our own world today.
Thomas, who originally hails from Jackson, Mississippi, delved into the novel’s autobiographical elements, as well as the influence of past high-profile police brutality cases. She described the main character, Starr, similar to her in many ways, such as the fact they both led “two different lives”. Thomas, like Starr, had to navigate the contrasting environments of going to school with a predominantly white demographic while going back home to an impoverished Black neighborhood within a span of simply a few miles.
The 2009 death of Oscar Grant, who was shot at the hands of police in Oakland, California, hit Thomas exceptionally hard. Talking to The Decameron Project members, she expressed the mournful sentiments that hovered above her for months. The Hate U Give was inspired by an ongoing set of protests and unsettlement that extended beyond his passing and initially came about as a short story that was supposed to contribute to her thesis project for graduation from Belhaven University.
Drawing from her own personal environment and experiences, she said she was able to, “like most writers, put bits and pieces [of myself] into the work”.
The hourlong conversation also provided time to discuss Thomas’ own thoughts on the current climate and the role youth have claimed in the fight for justice. She credited “Zoomers”, impressed with the young activists who have committed to making lasting change. In response to a question asking for her advice for young people, she said, “We have to look at change in a smaller aspect sometimes. Change the world around you, and you will find yourself changing the world. Change comes from discomfort.”
The Decameron Project is determined to keep on telling and sharing perspectives in order to create a community of young storytellers during these times. Students are encouraged to submit their writing, corresponding with the biweekly suggested themes as listed on their website. All submissions are being published online, and the project’s Advisory Board is continuously selecting their favorite works to be read aloud. As part of their conversation series featuring other authors and activists, they will be hosting Benjamin Moser, a winner of the 2020 Pulitzer Prize next.
The full conversation with Angie Thomas will be available to view soon at The Decameron Project site. Her third novel, Concrete Rose, is set for release January 2021, it will be a prequel that follows Maverick, a character from The Hate U Give, aged 17.
