Oge Mora Tells Stories that Celebrate Black Joy | Future History

It can feel as though all the stories written about Black people focus on pain and suffering. Hollywood, in particular, has become infamous for doing so in recent years. But author and illustrator Oge Mora insists on showcasing the joy in Black life. Her debut children’s book, the multi-award-winning “Thank You, Omu!”, tells the story of a woman who feeds her entire neighborhood with delicious homemade stew until she has none left for herself. By the end, her community bands together to share a meal with Omu. Born in Ohio and a child of Nigerian immigrant parents, Mora is a 2016 graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design. She says that it took her a while to realize that being an artist was possible because she just didn’t see a lot of people in the arts who looked like her. She takes pride in sharing her work with young children, hoping to inspire them to share their own stories.