Two friends who attend different schools in the same community learn that one of their schools has no instruments for their music program, while the other has multiple different kinds. They use their friendship and musical abilities to confront this inequity and try to bring about change.
In this story, Hani faces the decision of removing her hijab in order to play in a basketball tournament or sitting on the bench and watching the game. With the support of her teammates, she stands up to injustice and makes an important decision.
Who says girls can't be superheroes? Sheila and her classmates learn that both girls and boys can be superheroes, thanks to their teacher, Mrs. Miller.
In this story, Antonio learns that words have power, and that can be both a good and bad thing. As Mother’s Day approaches he must decide how to show his love for his mother and her partner and whether he wants that declaration to be public.
Tamera Bryant relays the story of Jerrie Mock and her dream to fly an airplane around the world. In spite of naysayers, including her family, who tried to remind her that girls grow up to be wives and mothers, Jerrie followed her dream and became the first woman to fly an airplane around the world.
Sean McCollum gives an account of writer Julia Alvarez's move to the United States from the Dominican Republic as a young girl. Although Alvarez struggled to fit in in this unfamiliar place, she finally found a comfortable niche in her writing.
As a young Muslim girl, Zahrah wore her hijab to school on what is considered to be the most important day of the weekin Islam—Friday. Not everyone at Zahrah's school understands her religious traditions, but a visit from her mom changes this.
Hussein, the narrator of My Name Was Hussein, lives in Bulgaria. His Muslim family takes great pride in their religion and traditions. But soldiers soon arrive in their village and force all of the Muslims to adopt Christian names, thereby inhibiting their freedom and identities.
“Connected to Everything” is a story written by Jennifer Greene and published in the Fall 2009 issue of Teaching Tolerance. This story is adapted from a traditional tale of the Bitterroot Salish, a Native American tribe in Montana.