Oboh Moses / Lantana Publishing – Américas Book Award / 2025 Américas Award Honor Book/Freedom Braids

Freedom Braids, illustrated by Oboh Moses and written by Monique Duncan, has been named a 2025 Américas Award Honor Book by the Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs (CLASP).
The award recognizes the book’s powerful exploration of identity, heritage, and the fight for self-expression. Freedom Braids joins an elite group of children’s books that authentically portray Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino experiences for young readers in the United States.
The Américas Award, coordinated by Tulane University’s Stone Center for Latin American Studies and the University of Arizona’s Center for Latin America, was established in 1993 to encourage and commend authors, illustrators, and publishers who produce quality children’s literature with authentic Latin American and Latino themes.

Editor: Dr Katrina Gutierrez, PhD