Category: Book

Media Mentions

The Almanac

I think the Kickstarter was successful because we’re finally acknowledging the elephant in the room and finally starting to have courageous conversations about racism.”

KidNuz

…communicating to kids that they have agency is a teachable moment from this book. And if their agency is limited, then this book will communicate that adults can help to amplify kids’ voices.

Tri-City Voice

Marissa McGee has written a book called Free The Curls about what kids can do if they encounter injustice … even if they encounter injustice on wash day.

Events

Check back for events and book signings.

Press Release

Want to feature feature Free the Curls? Please feel free to reach out to Marissa. In the meantime, please take a look at this media kit.

Maliyah is an inquisitive six-year old who loves to read books and watch cartoons. When she and her mom visit a store to buy shampoo for wash day, they notice all the products for her hair type are locked up. Maliyah and her mom must decide — buy the products or take action?

You can order Free the Curls today.

ASL Translation of Free the Curls

What People Are Saying About Free the Curls

The story and the illustrations were instantly relatable for my own 6 year old children. It was heart-warming to see them get excited not only relating to the curly hair experiences of Maliyah but to also see their genuine curiosity to the real world injustice Maliyah later encounters. This book is not only a wonderful “mirror” and “window” for young children but also a great entry point to reflect (for children AND adults) on how we recognize and navigate bias and inspire agency for young children. As a parent and educator it is a must have book for my libraries. I hope we get to see more stories through Maliyah/ Marissa’s lens soon! 

Early Childhood Educator

The book is wonderful. It tells a story that is very relatable, easy to read, and sparks interest.

Retired Educator

This book is charming, heart-warming, and NECESSARY. Marissa addresses a real world problem in ways that are relatable for both children and adults. She elegantly infuses Black culture into the book while addressing the topic in a way that is relatable to everyone. I highly recommend this book for children, adults, educators, and students. PS – you won’t want to miss the ending!

Parent

When Free the Curls was just an idea, a community of supporters helped bring it to life.

This page is dedicated to the founding supporters whose generosity, encouragement, and belief in the vision made Free the Curls possible. Because of you, this story has reached children, families, and communities across the country.

Thank you for helping inspire the next generation of changemakers!

Marissa McGee is an award-winning author, educator, speaker, and consultant who is passionate about helping young people recognize their power to make a difference.

As the author of Free the Curls, Marissa creates stories that serve as both mirrors and windows — helping Black children see reflections of themselves while inviting all children to engage in empathy, perspective-taking, and meaningful conversations about fairness and belonging.

Marissa brings more than 15 years of experience in education to her work. She has served as a classroom teacher, instructional coach, consultant, district administrator, and lecturer at Stanford University. Her goal remains to support students, educators, and communities in creating more inclusive and equitable learning environments. In 2016, she was recognized as one of NPR Ed’s 50 Great Teachers.

Today, Marissa is the co-founder of Empowered Minds Collective, where she partners with schools and organizations to support belonging, equity, leadership development, and courageous conversations. Through her books, author visits, workshops, and consulting work, she continues to inspire the next generation of changemakers.

When she’s not writing or working with schools, Marissa enjoys traveling, serving on the board of a nonprofit dedicated to helping students access college, and cheering on the Golden State Warriors.