Surayyah “RayRay” Fofana is a 16-year-old high school student in Hillsborough, NJ of Senegal and American descent, an activist, dancer, and writer with a full head of phenomenally curly hair. She knows what it’s like to grow up in a multiracial/multireligious/multicultural home and to wonder about what makes her different.

This personal history inspired Surayyah to write her first ever children’s book, RayRay Paints a Self-Portrait. It’s based on her own experiences as well experiences of families and children with varied racial, ethnic and/or religious backgrounds and is meant to share with the world a realistic and warm portrayal of a diverse home and to create a character that kids just like RayRay could identify with.

In the story, when RayRay gets a class assignment to do a self-portrait, she’s excited. That is, until she realizes that her hair isn’t like anyone else’s. . . . not even her family’s. Determined to find out where her hair came from, RayRay sets off on a quest to learn who she really is.

Teachers can request copies for free through Kind Cotton, an organization that promotes child literacy.

“I’m proud to make an impact in classrooms and in the minds of young readers. Although I’m still growing up, having the opportunity to tell my story has allowed me to relive some of the most memorable and vulnerable moments of my elementary school days.  Through sharing this book with young kids,  I hope it can help them navigate their own experience and maybe even provide some comfort and understanding.” said Surayyah. “Ultimately, it’s a book about self-acceptance, self-love, and understanding. It’s an important message I hope to pass on to young people everywhere.”