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This teacher needs your help!

Ms. Erickson from Baltimore, MD is requesting books through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Ms. Erickson is requesting

Cinderella CAN Be Black

Help me give my students access to characters who validate their identities and fosters a sense of belonging in the world of literacture.

FULLY FUNDED! Ms. Erickson's classroom raised $1,064

This project is fully funded

My Project

I work with Gifted and Advanced Learners in Baltimore City at a predominately African-American elementary school.

After a 12-week study of 26 Cinderella stories from around the world, I was disheartened when, upon starting a film featuring a Black Cinderella (shout out to Brandy), several students exclaimed, “Cinderella can’t be Black!”

These are students full of curiosity and imagination—yet this moment revealed how powerfully underrepresentation can shape identity and limit possibility. My goal is to build a classroom library filled with mirrors: books where my students see themselves, feel seen, and know they belong in every story.

Ms. Erickson Arundel Elementary Middle School 164 Grades PreK-2

Celebrate Black teachers and kids! This project supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of students are Black.

Equity Focus

This project directly supports students at a historically underfunded school. Learn more about our Equity Focus.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Baltimore, MD View local requests

Nearly all students from low‑income households Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more

50 students impacted 7donors

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Expand the "Where your donation goes" section below to see exactly what Ms. Erickson is requesting.

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TEACHERS, FEELING INSPIRED?

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
Diary of a Pug Series Set, Book 1-7 • Amazon Business $46.99 1 $46.99
3 Book Set: Graphic Novels - Jerry Craft Author Study: New Kid, Class Act, School Trip (paperback, ages 8-12) x Black Books Matter from MahoganyBooks • DonorsChoose Featured Favorites $42.00 1 $42.00
Hair Love (hardcover, ages 4-8) x Black Books Matter from MahoganyBooks - picture books for classroom library • DonorsChoose Featured Favorites $18.00 2 $36.00
Culturally Diverse Foods Books - Set of 4 - Paperback • Kaplan Early Learning Company $35.96 1 $35.96
A Good Kind of Trouble (paperback) x Black Books Matter from MahoganyBooks • DonorsChoose Featured Favorites $13.00 2 $26.00
Press Start!, Books 1-5: A Branches Box Set • Amazon Business $25.45 1 $25.45
Thank You, It's An Afro (hardcover) - books for classroom library • DonorsChoose Featured Favorites $12.00 2 $24.00
My Town - Mi Pueblo (bilingual English/Spanish hardcover) • DonorsChoose Featured Favorites $20.00 1 $20.00
Big - Caldecott Medal Winner & Coretta Scott King Honor Title (hardcover picture book, social emotional learning) • DonorsChoose Featured Favorites $20.00 1 $20.00
A Kids Book About Banned Books (hardcover) • DonorsChoose Featured Favorites $20.00 1 $20.00
Kamala and Maya's Big Idea: A Childhood Story of VP Kamala Harris (hardcover picture book, ages 4-8) x Black Books Matter from MahoganyBooks • DonorsChoose Featured Favorites $19.00 1 $19.00
Ambitious Girl (hardcover picture book, ages 4-8) x Black Books Matter from MahoganyBooks • DonorsChoose Featured Favorites $19.00 1 $19.00
I Believe I Can (hardcover picture book, ages 4-8) x Black Books Matter from MahoganyBooks • DonorsChoose Featured Favorites $19.00 1 $19.00
Parker Looks Up: An Extraordinary Moment (hardcover picture book, ages 4-8 read aloud) x Black Books Matter from MahoganyBooks • DonorsChoose Featured Favorites $19.00 1 $19.00
I Am Smart, I Am Blessed, I Can Do Anything! (hardcover picture book) x Black Books Matter from MahoganyBooks • DonorsChoose Featured Favorites $18.00 1 $18.00
Max and the Tag-Along Moon (paperback picture book, ages 4-8) x Black Books Matter from MahoganyBooks • DonorsChoose Featured Favorites $9.00 2 $18.00
Frankie and Friends: Breaking News (hardcover chapter book) • DonorsChoose Featured Favorites $18.00 1 $18.00
The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family (hardcover picture book) • DonorsChoose Featured Favorites $18.00 1 $18.00
Whistle for Willie (board book) x Black Books Matter from MahoganyBooks • DonorsChoose Featured Favorites $9.00 2 $18.00
Bunheads (hardcover picture book) x Black Books Matter from MahoganyBooks • DonorsChoose Featured Favorites $18.00 1 $18.00
Hello, Star (hardcover picture book, ages 4-8 read aloud) x Black Books Matter from MahoganyBooks • DonorsChoose Featured Favorites $18.00 1 $18.00
The Undefeated - Caldecott Medal Winner (hardcover picture book) x Black Books Matter from MahoganyBooks • DonorsChoose Featured Favorites $18.00 1 $18.00
Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreño Played the Piano for President Lincoln (hardcover) • DonorsChoose Featured Favorites $18.00 1 $18.00
Where Are You From? (hardcover picture book) • DonorsChoose Featured Favorites $16.00 1 $16.00
Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids (paperback) • DonorsChoose Featured Favorites $14.00 1 $14.00
Nelly’s Box - La caja de Nelly: A bilingual children's book in Spanish and English (Spanish Bilingual Books - Fostering Creativity in Kids) (Spanish Edition) • Amazon Business $13.50 1 $13.50
What will I be?: There are no limits on the greatness we can achieve! A positive & powerful picture book showing Black boys planning for their futures. • Amazon Business $12.99 1 $12.99
Plastic Bag's Journey: A heartwarming Children's book for young readers who love adventure and care about the environment. • Amazon Business $11.99 1 $11.99
The Extraordinary Girl: A Children’s Book About Comparison, Confidence, and Discovering Our Gifts (The BEST OF ME) • Amazon Business $11.50 1 $11.50
Stella Brings the Family • Amazon Business $10.33 1 $10.33
Yenebi's Drive to School • Amazon Business $10.10 1 $10.10
Day of the Dead - Día de Los Muertos: Day of the Dead : A Bilingual Book for Kids in English and Spanish (Around the World by Magic Spells for Teachers LLC) • Amazon Business $9.99 1 $9.99
Career Day • Amazon Business $9.99 1 $9.99
Enemy Pie : (Reading Rainbow Book, Children’s Book about Kindness, Kids Books about Learning) • Amazon Business $9.84 1 $9.84
Ack's New Pet (Eek & Ack: Early Chapter Books) • Amazon Business $7.99 1 $7.99
Matchmaker #3 (Miles Lewis) • Amazon Business $6.99 1 $6.99
Track Star #4 (Miles Lewis) • Amazon Business $6.99 1 $6.99
Whiz Kid #2 (Miles Lewis) • Amazon Business $6.99 1 $6.99
Class Act #2 (Jada Jones) • Amazon Business $6.50 1 $6.50
The Secret Explorers and the Tomb Robbers • Amazon Business $6.50 1 $6.50
Nature Lover #6 (Jada Jones) • Amazon Business $6.50 1 $6.50
Keena Ford and the Secret Journal Mix-Up • Amazon Business $6.50 1 $6.50
Almost Zero: A Dyamonde Daniel Book • Amazon Business $6.50 1 $6.50
Sky Watcher #5 (Jada Jones) • Amazon Business $6.49 1 $6.49
Rich: A Dyamonde Daniel Book • Amazon Business $6.39 1 $6.39
Dancing Queen #4 (Jada Jones) • Amazon Business $6.29 1 $6.29
Sleepover Scientist #3 (Jada Jones) • Amazon Business $6.19 1 $6.19
Aaron Slater's Big Project Book for Astonishing Artists (The Questioneers) • Amazon Business $5.74 1 $5.74
King of the Ice #1 (Miles Lewis) • Amazon Business $5.59 1 $5.59
Rock Star #1 (Jada Jones) • Amazon Business $5.59 1 $5.59
Jo Jo Makoons: The Used-to-Be Best Friend (Jo Jo, 1) • Amazon Business $5.13 1 $5.13
Jada Jones - Dancing Queen - Paperback Book • AKJ Education $5.10 1 $5.10
Jada Jones - Sky Watcher #5 - Paperback Book • AKJ Education $5.10 1 $5.10
Jada Jones - Rock Star #1 - Paperback Book • AKJ Education $5.10 1 $5.10
Jada Jones - Nature Lover - Paperback Book • AKJ Education $5.10 1 $5.10
Jada Jones - Sleepover Scientist #3 - Paperback Book • AKJ Education $5.10 1 $5.10
Keena Ford - Keena Ford and the Field Trip Mix-Up - Paperback Book • AKJ Education $5.10 1 $5.10
Keena Ford - Keena Ford and the Second-Grade Mix-Up - Paperback Book • AKJ Education $5.10 1 $5.10
Peachy and Keen - A School Tail - Paperback Book • AKJ Education $3.64 1 $3.64

Materials cost

$812.84

Vendor shipping charges

 FREE

Sales tax

 $48.77

3rd party payment processing fee

$12.19

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$903.80

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$159.49

Total project goal

$1,063.29

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $1,063.29

6 Donors

-$700.00

Donations toward project cost

-$617.50

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$82.50

match offer

-$336.82

Match offer toward project cost

-$286.30

Match offer to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$50.52

Excluded support for DonorsChoose

-$26.47

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

 $0.00

Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.

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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Erickson and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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