The Project I've Been Hiding
Living Stories of Remarkable Americans is finally here—and I need your help launching it into the world
Dear friend,
For months, while writing these profiles of remarkable Americans, I've been working on something in secret.
Every time I finished a story about someone like Ella Baker or Brad Lomax, I'd think: "These can't just live as newsletter posts. Kids need to experience what it felt like to BE these people." They need to sit on that farmhouse porch with Ella's grandmother, learning that asking good questions matters more than having quick answers. They need to feel the weight of organizing their first buying cooperative around a Harlem kitchen table.
So I've been quietly building something new.
Living Stories of Remarkable Americans—Complete family curricula where kids don't just read about historical figures—they become them.
What this really is
This isn't traditional biography education where kids memorize dates and achievements. It's experiential history that transforms "Ella Baker was an organizer" into "You are nine years old, sitting on your grandmother's porch in North Carolina, learning the questions that will shape how you empower others for the rest of your life."
Through immersive, second-person narratives, children step into pivotal moments and experience how character is formed under pressure. The first complete curriculum follows Ella Baker's journey from that questioning nine-year-old to the woman who taught that "strong people don't need strong leaders."
12 complete lessons spanning 24 sessions - designed for ages 8-18, adaptable for family learning at your own pace.
Meet Ella Baker: The leader you've never heard of
While others sought the spotlight, Ella Baker worked in the shadows, empowering ordinary people to become extraordinary leaders. She was the strategic mind behind the student sit-ins, the mentor who shaped a generation of civil rights organizers, and the woman who believed that "strong people don't need strong leaders."
The secret's out—now I need your help
I've been building this alone, but launching requires a community. Here's how you can help:
If you're a homeschooling parent:
Try the Ella Baker curriculum with your kids—newsletter readers get 20% off with code HTL20 ($37 → $29.60)
Let me know how it goes and what stories you'd like to see next
Share with your homeschool co-ops and networks if you find it valuable
If you're a classroom teacher:
Try the stories-only version ($16 → $12.80 with HTL20) and make your own activities, or see if the full curriculum might work for you
Share with your department or that teacher friend who's always looking for something better than worksheets
If you're a parent/caregiver who loves these stories:
The stories-only version ($16 → $12.80 with HTL20) is perfect for sharing these remarkable lives with the children in your world
Read them aloud at bedtime, during car rides, or whenever you want to spark meaningful conversations about character and courage
If you know educators:
Forward this email to them right now
Connect me with educator influencers or homeschool leaders in your network
If you believe kids deserve better stories:
Help spread the word about these forgotten Americans who changed everything
Tell me which historical figure should be next (I have a long list, but I want to know what you're curious about)
Why this matters
Young people often feel powerless to create change, and these stories offer proof that individual character and commitment can reshape the world. These aren't distant heroes on pedestals. They're people who faced doubt, made mistakes, struggled with fear, and figured out how to keep going anyway. Their stories teach us that greatness comes from being persistent, principled, and willing to serve something bigger than yourself.
I spent months crafting these materials because I believe the next generation deserves to know that ordinary people can accomplish extraordinary things. But now I need your help getting these stories to the families and classrooms where they belong.
Ready to try it?
Full Curriculum - $37 ($29.60 with HTL20) | Stories Only - $16 ($12.80 with HTL20)
Coming next: Jovita Idár (the Mexican-American journalist who stood up to the Texas Rangers), then Brad Lomax (the Black Panther who bridged disability rights and civil rights), then Clara Lemlich, and more—a new story every month.
The secret project is finally ready. Will you help me launch it into the world?
With gratitude for this journey together,
Anna
P.S. If you try the curriculum, I genuinely want to hear from you. Reply to this email and tell me how it goes. I'm still learning, and your feedback will shape every story that comes next. These stories changed me while writing them; help me change how we tell American history.