Breaking Barriers, Book by Book.
Lessons from a Mixed up Childhood
Written by Taris, Mary
Growing up in a world split between silence and survival, Mary Taris learned early how to navigate the spaces between love and loss, truth and pretense. In Lessons from a Mixed Up Childhood, she revisits the memories that shaped her-from the confusing contradictions of a mother struggling with mental illness, to the deep bond of friendship that helped her feel seen for the first time.
Through honest, heartfelt storytelling, Taris shares what it meant to come of age as a mixed-race girl in Minneapolis during the 1970s-a time of school integration, shifting identities, and unanswered questions about belonging. Each chapter reflects a lesson learned the hard way: about resilience, self-worth, and the power of using your voice even when silence feels safer.
Written with tenderness and courage, Lessons from a Mixed-Up Childhood invites young readers, parents, and educators into a conversation about what it means to grow up feeling different-and how healing begins when we dare to tell our stories out loud.
A story of survival, self-discovery, and the quiet courage it takes to turn pain into purpose.
“I’m going to strive to make it happen.”
- Mary Taris, Founder of Strive Publishing & Bookstore, since 2018
What people are saying about Lessons from a Mixed Up Childhood:
Her story tells us, and others who have gone through it, that life wasn’t always “a crystal stair,” whether it was dealing with peers, siblings, classmates, family members, or her sense of identity. And yet, in her childhood, Taris also experienced those gems of hope, strength, friendship, and healing to become the amazing woman she is today.
- W.D. Foster-Graham, Book Review Editor, Insight News
This thoughtful and sensitive collection of personal memories will stay with you long after you turn the final page. Succinct and readable, it is sure to resonate with readers of many ages and backgrounds.
- Chelsea Couillard-Smith, Senior Librarian, Collection Management Services, Hennepin County Library
OUR FIRST BUS RIDE WINNER OF PLANTING PEOPLE GROWING JUSTICE LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE 2026 CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD
STRIVE PUBLISHING & BOOKSTORE
Connecting Across Cultures
Our mission is to celebrate the power of stories by focusing on books that amplify marginalized voices, with a significant emphasis on works by Black authors. We aim to inspire readers and authors to connect across cultures, while offering a unique selection of books and literary events that inform hungry minds and bridge communities.
Publishing
Strive Publishing was founded to help solve two problems: the need for culturally relevant books for children and adults; and the underrepresentation of Black authors in book publishing.
Bookstore
Strive Bookstore aims to bring the joy of book shopping back to Downtown Minneapolis.
Located at 825 Nicollet Mall - 1st Floor in the Medical Arts building
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