Ainara’s journey: Sky’s the limit for 12-year-old Hamilton book aficionado and actor
She's coy about the plot of the children's book she's writing, but Ainara Alleyne might want to consider basing the lead character on the 12-year-old she sees in the mirror.
The opening scene could be set a few years ago: a little girl, hair tied in a ponytail, in her school library, wondering why novels on the shelf all seem to feature kids who do not share her appearance, much less her eastern Caribbean roots.
And then, following a journey of discovery, the girl blossoms into a social media star promoting diversity in book reading, and in the present, soon before she turns 13, is interviewed on Zoom by The Hamilton Spectator - where she smiles and laughs and glows with possibility, running a hand through her wavy hair that flows long and free.
I used to hide my hair; I slicked it back, tied it in buns, and it was a chore, but now we see incredible Black role models letting their curls out," says Ainara. It's beautiful and inspiring and I want to show mine, too. Now it's part of who I am. So is Ainara's Bookshelf.'"
That's the name of her Instagram, that has more than 7,000 followers, where she highlights books starring characters of colour, and those with diverse cultures and physical abilities.
I want to share stories of young Black kids and those of colour doing fun things, so they can see themselves in a more positive way, not just as people hurt on the news."
She also posts interviews with authors that she conducts, most recently Nicole Collier, an American whose latest is Just Right Jillian," about an introverted fifth-grader trying to break out of her shell.
I reached out to her and got an advance copy," says Ainara. I loved the characters and story so much, it made me cry. She was so kind to take the time to chat with me."
In addition to acting gigs in recent years, her resume includes being invited to help kick off Black History Month in the city; she is the Hamilton Public Library's first junior librarian in residence, and this month the MS Read-a-Thon junior ambassador.
Ainara's sidekick cat, a rescue Russian blue named Marko, hops on her lap as she explains her reading philosophy.
Something I say a lot is: books are like mirrors and windows. Not only can kids of colour see themselves, but then other kids can learn about other people, too. The world is so diverse, and if you're only learning about yourself, you're not seeing different cultures and ethnicities. Without that, the real world will be a shock."
Ainara's dad, Shani, works in IT at McMaster University, which comes in handy helping her with posts and editing video. Her mother, Amber, is a Hamilton school teacher. Her younger siblings are Theo and Korra.
She was born at St. Joe's but her dad is from Barbados, where he has a large extended family, so Ainara spent summers there before the pandemic.
Ainara credits him with boosting her enthusiasm to get into a new book whenever she feels like she's in a reading slump."
Far from pushing her, family friend Anne Miller says it's more like Ainara's dad tries to keep up with his daughter.
She is very motivated, it comes to her naturally," she says. She is such a force to be reckoned with."
Miller, also a native of Barbados, is active in the Afro-Canadian Caribbean Association and owns The Artisan Market in the Farmers' Market. She nominated Ainara for a Women Who Rock Award" in 2020 that the girl won.
I have seen greatness in her," says Miller. When she was little, she would ask questions all the time: Why?' How is this done?' She would listen to the news, and was always writing and reading."
It's not lost on Ainara that her love of books runs counter to the popularity of online videos and streaming services.
Reading books is so important," she says, using a word she often employs, each time clearly enunciating hard t's."
They are fun and also help with your vocabulary, and help you build skills for school and everyday life."
Her success with Ainara's Bookshelf" got her noticed: she has been invited to speak about diversity in reading at universities and teaching symposiums, and been featured in numerous publications.
Her dad says that as long as she's happy, he's happy.
She's doing these things so effortlessly that she doesn't realize the gravitas of it all," he told The Spec. I'm proud of her. She has a magnetic personality that touches everyone she comes in contact with."
When she was little, the first stories she gravitated toward were graphic novels, and the adventures of Moon Girl, a child superhero with a similarly alliterative name - Lunella Lafayette - whose powers include super intellect and consciousness transferal."
Moon Girl!" says Ainara Alleyne, lighting up. I loved her. She was my age, and looked like me ... it was just so inspiring. That's why diversity is so important, because when I saw myself in her it made me happy and excited, and made me think I could be really smart and do super cool things, too."
As for her ongoing origin story, she has no idea what the future holds.
She hopes to publish her novel, is intrigued by social activism, and wants to continue acting. (She has appeared in live theatre, narrated two audio books, and performed voice-overs for animated shows including the role of Marina, a Latina marine biologist, in the show Ranger Rob.")
At a recent Black History Month event, someone told Ainara that maybe she will be prime minister someday.
Well?
I think that would be incredible," she says. Hopefully I wouldn't be the first Black female prime minister. I'd like to learn more about the position, but I think it would be really cool."
No, it's not beyond the realm of possibility, not when the sky seems the limit, or even the moon.
Jon Wells is a feature writer at The Spectator. jwells@thespec.com