Short Summary

Lori Leak Travels to Paris is a unique book about an African American girl who does something that less than 10% of African -American females do -- she travels outside the United States of America. We -  the author and international lifestyle entrepreneur Barrett Clemmensen Powell, and the illustrator, Cannes award-winning animator Kristen Palana -  want to take this book to the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books in April 2017. With any ecess funds, we would like to also donate one copy to the main library in the state capital of each of the 50 states in the USA. To do this, we need your help. We want to raise the money that it will cost to travel to the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books in April 2017 and have an exhibit booth filled with

• copies of "Lori Leak Travels to Paris"
• writing activities for children
• marketing materials such as banner, postcards and maybe even a life-sized Lori Leak that children can stand with and have a photo taken

Bringing this book to this internationally known and respected book fair will empower this book to be recognized by booksellers, bookstores, reviewers and media. This book opens doors to children of color and girls, particularly African-American girls. It tells them that they have the opportunity and possibility in life to be a foreign exchange student in another country during high school, to take a gap year and travel the world, to go to university in another country or take some semesters abroad while earning their degree, to learn other languages, to live in other countries, to be a dual citizen, to pursue work in international companies and positions which will take them to lands far from home. It has the ability to create an impact on the global economy by creating girls who become adult women who impact the global economy.

Recently, a little girl began a campaign to bring more attention to books featuring characters who look like her: 1000 Black Girl Books.

The time is NOW for Lori Leak Travels to Paris and all the Lori Leak books to come!

By contributing, YOU have a crucial role in opening up the world to young Black girls, young girls of color and young girls in general, empowering their social and economic futures.

What We Need & What You Get

The base support we are seeking is the funding to bring this book to the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books in April 2017. We are planning to do three rounds of funding the get the entire amount for the transporttion, booth rental and supplies and printing of copies. In total we hope to raise $3750. In this round we hope to raise $1250.

• Exhibition booth $1250-1600 (smallest booth 10x10)
• Marketing materials $700

You can read more about the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books and what you will help fund, here: Los Angeles Times Festival of Books 2016 - Exhibitor Sales Beyond reaching our goal to support the exhibition, we would like to use excess funds to

• Donate 1 copy of the book to the main public library in the capital of each of the 50 states in the USA so that it is available in the library system for any child who wishes to borrow it to read. We will donate alphabetically by state.
• Give free copies of the book to girls ages 6-12 at book signings and other events
• Finally, if there are enough funds, we (Barrett and Kristen) could use them to reduce our transportation costs (airfare) to Los Angeles for the fair

The perks we are offering will be many, such as some French kisses, a handwritten note of thanks andcoupons for free enrollment in online writing or art courses. If we do not reach our basic goal, all that we do get will still be put towards a second round of crowdfunding to rent a booth at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books .

The Impact

Both Kristen Palana and I have spent many years opening our hearts to people and giving of ourselves. We live out the motto "be the change you want to see in the world". I am an expatriate in Copenhagen, Denmark and have been active in children and youth organizations for decades (Campfire Boys and Girls and YMCA), guest lecturing at Roskilde University (Roskilde, Denmark) and teaching various subjects like English, gender and cultural encounters in countries such as Guatemala, Dominica and Denmark. Kristen is an expatriate in Yangon, Myanmar and has been teaching art to young people for over a decade at institutions such as the American University in Rome and leading fundraising campaigns for young people and students in developing nations. Kristen is also the winner of the Palme d'Or for Best Animated Short Feature Film in 2014. Her images for "Lori Leak Travels to Paris" are GORGEOUS.  "Service" is both our middle names! Now you can be a part of this collaborative creative project with Kristen and me and make a significant impact in the lives of girls. You can help fund Lori Leak's journey to Los Angeles! This girl needs a ride!

Risks & Challenges

The risk we face is that we will not get the money to go to the book fair. We had hope to go in 2016 and did not make it. Our hope is to raise the funds to be able to attend in 2017.

Other Ways You Can Help

If you are unable to contribute financially you CAN help in other ways:

• Spread the word about this Indiegogo campaign on Facebook and Tumbler. Use the Indiegogo share tools
• Spread the word about this Indiegogo campaign on Twitter and use @barrettcpowell in the tweet. Again, use the Indiegogo share tools
• Download a free preview and leave a rating and written review for others to see how great this book is! If your native language is other than English, we would love for you to write a review in that language! FREE PREVIEW: Lori Leak Travels to Paris