“There’s power in being seen. By living authentically and fully as ourselves, we’re also ensuring that those who need to see someone like us, can.”
~Andy Duran
Belonging means showing up fully.
At AmazeWorks, we believe that every person deserves to be seen, heard, and valued for all of who they are—not just one part. Like a mosaic, belonging is built from many pieces: different identities, lived experiences, and ways of being that come together to create something whole, vibrant, and meaningful.
This month, we explore what it means to honor the full, authentic self—within ourselves, our classrooms, and our communities. From affirming mental health needs to uplifting overlooked stories, from creating safer classrooms to celebrating Pride and Juneteenth, this newsletter invites you to reflect, learn, and take action toward belonging for all.
If you’re reading this, you already know the power of belonging to help individuals and communities thrive.
But right now, funding cuts have forced schools to make decisions that put belonging at risk. Fewer schools can adopt our curriculum organization-wide—limiting the reach of affirming stories and inclusive practices in classrooms. That’s why, for Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re raising $30,000 to help individual educators bring AmazeWorks into their schools, one classroom at a time.
Friend, your gift can be the difference between a child surviving and a child thriving.
Help us meet this moment. In the final three days of Mental Health Awareness Month, we invite you to use your dollars to bring identity-affirming stories into classrooms in Minnesota and across the US.
Be the mirror. Be the window. Be the difference.
In 2025, Crystal Stein launched Beret Publishing, a publishing company and movement to help children see themselves and others in their full complexity. This mission was born from a deeply personal journey. Crystal’s passage into motherhood sparked a children’s book collection that brought the stories of composers into children’s hands across Minnesota and beyond.
Crystal Stein’s first pregnancy in 2020 coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic and the murder of George Floyd—two seismic events that shaped her entry into motherhood. As a Black soon-to-be-mother to Black children, she spent time in quarantine searching for children’s books with positive representations of Black characters.
In particular, she looked for books that would share her love of classical music with her kids—featuring composers who looked like them. But Crystal didn’t find what she was looking for.
“I couldn’t find classical giants and greats that look like me,” she said. Faced with this gap in representation, Crystal decided to change what the world of children’s literature had to offer.
Elementary teachers, we’re calling on you to be part of this project! ✨ Scott Sundstrom is writing a book called Safe and Inclusive Elementary Classrooms: Undoing the Harm of Heteronormative Practices in Schools and Affirming LGBTQ+ Kids. We need your help collecting artifacts, stories, and perspectives on disrupting binaries from teachers in the field.
Scott asks, “If you could share one thing about this work and what you do, what would you want to share with leaders?”
Here is what we need to help bring this book to life:
How do you reject heteronormativity in your classroom? Share with AmazeWorks to support Scott Sundstrom in his research.
Reach out to sophie@amazeworks.org with examples and questions. We can’t wait to learn how you interrupt binaries in your classroom. 💙
Too often, we’re defined by others based on a single aspect of our identity: our appearance, background, ability, or talents. But we are shaped by many experiences, values, and relationships—not confined by any one of them.
This month, we return to an AmazeWorks Middle School lesson that invites us to reflect on what truly defines us. We encourage you to take a few quiet moments to journal with these prompts:
These reflection questions are drawn from our How Do You Define Yourself? lesson, empowering students to tell their own story.
End the school year with belonging.
As schools face deepening budget cuts, you can ensure students still see themselves—and others—reflected in the stories they read.
AmazeWorks Book Sets use identity-affirming picture books and discussion guides to spark brave conversations, build empathy, and lower bias in classrooms.
Each set includes 4–5 books centered on a specific identity or theme, plus age-appropriate discussion questions and activities to support children’s learning and social-emotional growth. Click here to purchase!
AmazeWorks is having garage sale! Join us on the following dates at 1079 Shryer Ave W, Roseville, MN 55113:
Find office supplies, kids’ items, books, houseware, and more—bringing belonging to life in the process. 🌟
The newest Persona Doll Book Set is almost here! Bring Leela and her book set into your early childhood classroom for brave conversation about:
We’re excited to team up with Defense of Democracy for a FREE webinar! ✨
Join us on June 5 at 8PM EDT to learn how anti-bias education provides a roadmap to create classroom and school cultures of belonging for all.
Come see AmazeWorks at the Twin Cities Pride Festival! Find us at Booth 91 in Loring Park to explore AmazeWorks books, lessons, and resources that affirm LGBTQ+ identities, families, and experiences. 🌈
Plus, a volunteer opportunity! Email ryan@amazeworks.org to sign up for a Pride Festival shift.
Keep up with AmazeWorks: