Synopses & Reviews
When 17-year-old Hazel Newlevant takes a summer job clearing ivy from the forest in her home town of Portland, Oregon, her only expectation is to earn a little money. Homeschooled, affluent, and sheltered, Hazel soon finds her job working side by side with at-risk teens to be an initiation into a new world that she has no skill in navigating. This uncomfortable and compelling memoir is an important story of a girl's awakening to the racial insularity of her life, the power of white privilege, and the hidden story of segregation in Portland.
Review
"This authentic and relevant account delves into the messy work of recognizing one's own white privilege." Anna Murphy, Berkeley Carroll School, Brooklyn
Review
"No Ivy League gracefully delivers a messy truth behind the essential process of questioning and reckoning. Newlevant respects young people's awareness of how class, race, gender, and history impact our experiences, and takes readers seriously enough to give space for personal reflection and growth. Fantastic brushwork, and a great sense of natural light. Highly recommended." Nate Powell
Synopsis
"No Ivy League gracefully delivers a messy truth behind the essential process of questioning and reckoning." -- Nate Powell, artist of the March trilogy
When 17-year-old Hazel takes a summer job clearing ivy from the forest in Portland, Oregon, the only plan is to earn some extra cash to put toward concert tickets. Homeschooled, affluent, and sheltered, Hazel soon finds that working side by side with at-risk teens leaves no room for comforting illusions of equality and understanding. This uncomfortable and compelling memoir is an important story of a teen's awakening to the racial insularity of the upper class, the power of white privilege, and the hidden history of segregation in Portland.
About the Author
Hazel Newlevant is a Portland-raised, Queens-residing cartoonist. Their comics include Tender-Hearted, Sugar Town, No Ivy League, and If This Be Sin. They are the editor and publisher of the anthologies Chainmail Bikini and Comics For Choice. Their work has been honored with the Ignatz Award, Xeric Grant and the Prism Comics Queer Press Grant. They have worked as an Associate Editor at Lion Forge Comics. They like to dance around, alone or with others.