The Book
I Am Sausal Creek is a bilingual Spanish and English picture book about the environmental and cultural history of Oakland told through the voice of a local waterway. It is being published under the Little Nomad children’s book imprint of Nomadic Press.
On the first page of the book, the creek introduces herself and invites the reader to sit and listen to her story. As she winds through memories of watching the Ohlone move freely around her shores, the arrival of people in search of gold, streets being paved, and more, she reminds us that through all of this, her water still flows.
The well-researched text is accompanied by vivid, full-color illustrations created by the talented artist, Robert Trujillo. In the back of the book, there is a two-page supplemental narrative that offers a more in-depth exploration of the history of the Sausal Creek Watershed and the surrounding neighborhoods.
The Impact
While this book explores the story of a local waterway, many of the themes are universal. As children read about the changes that have taken place over time and the impact different people have had on the landscape and each other, they also see the creek’s resilience and understand how integral water is in supporting life.
The goals of this project are to:
- Teach kids about the rich history of Oakland
- Connect kids to urban creeks and local watersheds
- Offer a culturally relevant teaching tool that honors indigenous voices and reflects diverse experiences
- Inspire kids to be engaged in their communities and environments
The Campaign
People are excited about this forthcoming publication! So far, The City of Oakland, The Oakland Unified School District, The Oakland Museum of California, The Friends of Sausal Creek, and The Peralta Hacienda have all supported the project. After sharing a mock-up of the book with her students, one teacher said it filled such an important gap in their curriculum that she wanted to include purchasing a class set of I Am Sausal Creek in a grant for next year. Now we are inviting you to become a part of this amazing journey!
The text is written and translated. The final artwork is almost done. At this point, we need to raise $5,500 to print 1, 000 books. The money you give is tax-deductible* and we have included some fabulous thank-you gifts to help inspire you!
*Your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Supporters