The Gilded OnesSixteen year old Deka lives in fear and anticipation of the blood ceremony that will determine whether she will become a member of her village. Already different from everyone else because of her unnatural intuition, Deka prays for red blood so she can finally feel like she belongs. But on the day of the ceremony, her blood runs gold, the color of impurity and Deka knows she will face a consequence worse than death. Then a mysterious woman comes to

has a vision for their future together: Libertie will go to medical school and practice alongside her

Esperanza Spalding

and many more engage young people in frank conversations about race

life as a medium is getting worse

In An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States

Intellectual Development--Gaining knowledge and becoming smarter

the rain forest calls to her in a troubled voice

the woman screams

Go back to bed

Ruth is a former teacher of creative writing with the University of Southern California and June Jordan's Poetry for the People program at UC Berkeley and is a longtime faculty member with the VONA writing program

His philosophy is to say yes to everything--including entering a ballroom dance competition with a girl he's only just met

She uncovers something worse