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  • Published: 17 May 2022
  • ISBN: 9780807055618
  • Imprint: Beacon Press
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 216
  • RRP: $35.00

Pregnant Girl

A Story of Teen Motherhood, College, and Creating a Better Future for Young Families





"[T]his book is so much more than a memoir . . . .Her prose has the power to undo deep-set cultural biases about poverty and parenthood."—New York Times Book Review
 
An activist calls for better support of young families so they can thrive and reflects on her experiences as a Black mother and college student fighting for opportunities for herself and her child.

A NPR BOOKS WE LOVE 2021 Selection

“[T]his book is so much more than a memoir . . . . Her prose has the power to undo deep-set cultural biases about poverty and parenthood.”—New York Times Book Review

An activist calls for better support of young families so they can thrive and reflects on her experiences as a Black mother and college student fighting for opportunities for herself and her child.

Pregnant Girl presents the possibility of a different future for young mothers—one of success and stability—in the midst of the dismal statistics that dominate the national conversation. Along with her own story as a young Black mother, Nicole Lynn Lewis weaves in those of the men and women she’s worked with to share a new perspective on how poverty, classism, and systemic racism impact teen pregnancy and on how effective programs and equitable policies can help teen parents earn college degrees, have increased opportunity, and create a legacy of educational and career achievements in their families.

After Nicole became pregnant during her senior year in high school, she was told that college was no longer a reality—a negative outlook often unfairly presented to teen mothers. Nicole left home and experienced periods of homelessness, hunger, and poverty. Despite these obstacles, she enrolled at the College of William & Mary and brought her 3-month-old daughter along. Through her experiences fighting for resources to put herself through college, she discovered her true calling and founded her organization, Generation Hope, to provide support for teen parents and their children so they can thrive in college and kindergarten—driving a 2-generation solution to poverty.

Pregnant Girl will inspire young parents faced with similar choices and obstacles that they too can pursue their goals with the right support.

  • Published: 17 May 2022
  • ISBN: 9780807055618
  • Imprint: Beacon Press
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 216
  • RRP: $35.00

Praise for Pregnant Girl

"[T]his book is so much more than a memoir. . . . Her prose has the power to undo deep-set cultural biases about poverty and parenthood."—New York Times Book Review
 
"Her journey . . . is authentic and moving. Reading this book, you will learn something important about race, poverty, and gender and how they play a role in teen pregnancy. And you will learn something about how hope can win over adversity."—Soledad O'Brien
 
"Pregnant Girl is not just a powerful memoir; it’s an empowering guide for all of us. . . . I would highly recommend this book to all."—Wes Moore, author of The Other Wes Moore; CEO of Robin Hood
 
"Makes a compelling case for the multifaceted approach that is necessary to ensure that all young people—particularly our youth of color and young parents—are able to make the choice to pursue a college education, earn a degree, and lead thriving lives."—Dr. John King, 10th US secretary of education under President Obama
 
"Nicole Lynn Lewis’s important book explains why and how the treatment of teen moms—and the support and opportunities we do or don’t provide them—affects all of us."—Sara Goldrick-Rab, president and founder, Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice

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