The American harpsichordist, orchestra and creative wellness media company founder has now also turned author with A for Aretha, an ABC board book featuring 26 Black female musicians whose artistry and activism have made history. Hattie Fisk catches up with her to find out more.
 Leslie Kwan
Leslie Kwan - DANIEL DOKE

HF: Congratulations on publishing your book A for Aretha. How did this come about?

LK: Thank you, I am very proud of the book. It began in quite a natural way when I was with my youngest niece, who was four years old (and very sassy). She was being disrespectful to her brother, and I was telling her to respect him by singing Aretha's Respect. That put the idea of a children's book on Black female composers into my mind, so I combed the internet and there was nothing out there. It seemed horrendous that a gap like that existed, so I put pen to paper and that is how A for Aretha was born.

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