Affirmations and Imagination: Colour My Future invites children to dream big

For ages 3-7, the Colour My Future toolkit includes an inspiring picture book and an activity book for artistic expression

The new children’s book, Colour My Future, shares the story of a young Black girl who is drifting off to sleep. With every turn of the page, she dreams of all that she could grow up to be, from ‘Firefighter’ to ‘Doctor’.

Colour My Future is the debut publication by Roxanne Williams, an emerging Black British author and visual artist. Williams wrote and illustrated the book during the Covid-19 lockdown to support young readers, aged 3-7.

Williams says the world’s mental health is on edge due to many forms of uncertainty and loss. This, “mixed with the outcry and weight of protests against systemic brutality towards Black lives, led me to using my creative skills to boost our wellbeing and affirming self-representation,” she says.

With an affirmation on every page, Colour My Future uses rhyme and the affirmation “I can’’ to explore 16 different futures. The bright illustrations capture the joy of the main character’s imagined career choices. As she wakes up from her dreams, the reader is encouraged to keep exploring their own aspirations for the future.

Through her story, children are encouraged to express themselves, dream ambitiously, and have fun. A matching activity book reinforces the infinite potential in every child.

“My mum empowered me with love, compliments and positive affirmations, and told me that I could do anything, until this belief became second nature. With the Colour My Future toolkit, I am paying these life skills forward to the next generation of little dreamers”, says Williams.

Farzana Khan, Executive Director of Healing Justice Ldn, says, “It is an honour for Healing Justice Ldn to support Colour My Future as part of our Artist in Residence programme. In these critical times, we need the genius of those who are marginalised and are already imagining new ways. This book is a creative gesture towards young people who offer us so much, and need more and more space to colour the world. Colour My Future is part of the practice of imagination, which needs to be cared for and strengthened right now.”

Colour My Future is available for purchase beginning 8 June, 2021. Readers can purchase their copies from colourmyfuture.com.

Roxanne Williams grew up in South East London and splits her time between drawing, painting, exploring new ideas and giving creative advice. In 2010, Roxanne founded Crazivity Design Studio to celebrate self worth through creativity and collaboration. Expression is at the heart of Crazivity, in the form of illustrated products, live art events and design services.