Freedom Braids - Paths to Freedom

Gratitude Verlag was founded in 2019 by actress, voice artist, and author Dayan Kodua. It stands for communicating diversity and empowerment through storytelling and is one of the few publishers to exclusively publish books featuring Black people of color (BPoC) heroes. By identifying with these diverse heroes, the publisher aims to encourage children and young people of all backgrounds to discover their own potential. In this way, Gratitude Verlag actively contributes to a diverse German literary landscape and a positively developing society.


At the same time, gratitude publishing aims to help newcomer authors and illustrators of Black people gain greater visibility. While it's already difficult for someone who has been part of the white majority society since birth to gain a foothold in the literary world, achieving the same goal requires a completely different kind of struggle for Black people and illustrators of Black people and illustrators. gratitude publishing recognizes this and wants to give these people the opportunity to reach children and young people with their words and images.

About the author & illustrator

Monique Duncan is an American author of Jamaican descent. She aims to inspire children with her books and build their self-confidence. Her book "When Mommy Braids My Hair" was nominated for the Ezra Jack Keats Award. She lives in New York City.

Oboh Moses is a digital illustrator who has been passionate about art since the age of seven. In 2021, his work was selected for American Illustration's 40th Anniversary Annual. He lives and works in Lagos, Nigeria.