In the Spotlight

Elsa Brizzi: Inspiring Children's Literacy and Self-Esteem

Over the years I’ve drawn my inspiration from many sources, most notably my grandmother Bessie Morris. I have been blessed to know many other strong, capable, and talented women, including colleagues, teachers, and community leaders.

I want to highlight a star that shone brightly for me just as I was planning the new Bessie Morris Foundation book program. This individual and her work energized me further to pursue my vision to encourage confidence through a literacy program for children.

I initially started to work on the program in early 2020 as a Book Club. I was delighted to be introduced by a mutual friend to Elsa Brizzi who wrote and illustrated a wonderful children’s book You are a Very Special You. Elsa’s book was designed to deliver a simple yet profound message: each person is special.

Elsa was an educator for many years and was a developer of programs and services that answered diversity issues in education including special education, minority participation, sex equality and bilingualism.

The inspiration for her book stemmed from her early teaching experiences. Her students taught her much and awakened her lifetime quest to uncover our individual specialness; and from that reality, our unique gifts grow. Elsa coupled the book with an adult-child reading mentorship program to enhance not only literacy, but the self-esteem of children, and encourage them to treat each person they meet with the utmost respect. The second edition of the book came published is three languages – all on the same page – to encourage broader reading, inclusivity, and diversity acceptance.

I appreciate Elsa and her dear friend and publisher Susan Velasquez for taking the time to share their knowledge, experience, and information about the Special You Book Club.

November 2021