Nominated by
Tracy Lamourie
September 16, 2023
Vanja Skoric describes herself as “a human rights lawyer, civil rights volunteer and mother of two, with a passion for writing.” The summer of 2023 saw the release of her very first book, “Tasha - A Little Activist.”
Vanja truly has an international perspective. Born in Croatia, she earned an LLM degree in Public International Law from the University of Amsterdam and a Law Degree from the University of Zagreb. She is currently working in the Netherlands at a not for profit while completing her PhD and raising her two children. It was the kids who inspired Vanja’s newest - and completely different! - venture! - a charming and important book called “Tasha, A Little Activist.”
“It all started with questions from my daughter,” laughs Vanja. She describes her daughter as “a curious and incredibly observant girl who, like many children, is eager to know why certain situations arise, even if they feel unfair.”
In the book, the main character, Tasha, feels confused when boys tell her that soccer is not for girls. She wonders, “Why do people say that girls shouldn't do certain things?” She is curious: has it always been this way? Tasha's dad tells her a story about women and girls fighting for their rights.
The author says “Children can quickly recognize injustice and unfair situations and tapping into that interest is essential in helping them understand their potential role in bringing about positive change. After learning about an issue, even if it is complex, children may ask what they can do right away to make an impact.”
In the book, she says, she connected direct experiences with important historical events to help her daughter - and other children - understand the power of activism and how to cope with the change. She invites curious children to “come with Tasha to find out more about activism!”
When asked why she wrote ‘Tasha - A Little Activist,’ Skoric says, “Sometimes adults may feel that issues are too complicated for children to handle. The good news is that all the small steps and actions make a difference. I hope this book will inspire honest conversations and dialogue about experiences, fairness, emotions - including anger and frustration - and what opportunities are there for children to do something about that.”
It truly is an empowering book - and one that everyone should gift to the little one in their lives.