Voting was a vital community activity for the author Winsome Bingham.
It was something her whole neighborhood did together when she was growing up in Fort Lauderdale. They would go door-to-door to rouse their neighbors and get them all to go to the polling station together.
It shaped her childhood. And now, she’s hoping that experience can help show other children the importance of voting.
Winsome’s latest book is called The Walk. It’s a beautifully illustrated children’s book that tells the story of a grandmother taking her granddaughter to knock on doors in their neighborhood to get out the vote.
Winsome taps into her childhood for her award-winning work. Her last book, Soul Food Sunday, was named one of the best children’s books of 2021 by the New York Times. It tells the story of a young boy who helps his granny cook for their family.
Both reflect her background. She was raised in Jamaica and immigrated to Fort Lauderdale, where she was raised in a Black and Caribbean neighborhood. Her time in the military led her to a career as a teacher and writer.
On the Sep. 7 episode of Sundial, Winsome joined us to talk about how she uses her writing to teach kids important lessons about family, community and civic action.
She is presenting her book Tuesday, September 12 at 4:30 at the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center in Liberty City.
On Sundial's previous episode, we spoke with Miami-Dade County’s first artist-in-residence, Xavier Cortada. He wants to tackle the big issues that affect his home in South Florida with his art.
Listen to Sundial Monday through Thursday on WLRN, 91.3 FM, live at 1 p.m., rebroadcast at 8 p.m. Missed a show? Find every episode of Sundial on your favorite podcast app, such as Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify.
