Abolitionist & Freedom Dreamer
Dr. Bettina Love
Dr. Bettina L. Love is the William F. Russell Professor at Teachers College, Columbia University, and one of the most influential voices shaping the future of education in America. She is the author of the forthcoming children’s book Bettina and the Ball (Candlewick Press), and the New York Times bestselling Punished for Dreaming: How School Reform Harms Black Children and How We Heal — a book that has earned the Stowe Prize for Literary Activism, the Goddard Riverside Stephan Russo Book Prize for Social Justice, the National Council for Black Studies’ Anna Julia Cooper & C.L.R. James Book Award, a finalist nod from the LA Times Book Prize, and a longlisting for the Brooklyn Public Library Book Prize.
Her 2019 book We Want to Do More Than Survive has sold nearly 200,000 copies and become a foundational text in classrooms across the country.
A New Story Takes the Court
Bettina And The Ball Arrives Jan. 26, 2027
Be among the first to experience this joyful new story about dreaming big, finding your confidence, and discovering what’s possible.
A Story That Inspires
Endorsed by Award-Winning Voices
“Bettina and the Ball is more than a story about sport, hard work, and family. It’s also a tale about what it’s like to find the thing that makes you feel most like yourself—love. And I love this book, because just like Bettina’s basketball, every time you put it down, it bounces right back into your hands, over and over again. Absolutely stunning.”
“Sweet as honey and full of bounce, Bettina and the Ball reminds young readers that every great passion begins with wonder and grows through practice, patience, and, most importantly, LOVE. Dr. Bettina Love has written a beautiful ode to girls, basketball, and the brave joy of following what makes your heart leap. With illustrations full of electrifying movement and infectious joy, this story offers a lesson for all of us: When we nurture what we love, it can teach us how to soar.”
“Prepare to be enthralled with this exhilarating story that follows a young girl with a bold, audacious heart who shows incredible courage on the basketball court. With powerful words and mesmerizing illustrations of dribbling, dancing, and dreaming, Bettina and the Ball helps children learn what it means to be free and to love. A must-have for every home, classroom, and library, this book proves to all children that they belong wherever their dreams take them.”
“Powerful and inspiring! At the heart of this moving ode to basketball is the kind of love that propels readers to rise above any obstacle and soar.”
“Bettina and the Ball is as heartwarming as it is necessary. A tender story that reminds children and adults alike not only what love is, but what love can and should be in a world that needs more of it.”
“Powerful and inspiring! At the heart of this moving ode to basketball is the kind of love that propels readers to rise above any obstacle and soar.”
“In the past there were Jordan and Pippen, Stockton and Malone, James and Wade, O’Neal and Bryant, and Curry and Thompson, to name a few. What a wonderful duo—Love and Morrison: a great writer and an amazing illustrator. This book is my favorite kind of children’s book, the kind that celebrates passion, commitment, and love. I absolutely cheered little Bettina on as she found her calling, discovering her joy and expression. I loved this beautiful journey.”
Dr. Love's Public Speaking Engagements
Dr. Love is a sought-after public speaker on a range of topics, including abolitionist teaching, education reform, anti-racism, Hip Hop education, Black girlhood, queer youth, educational reparations, Hip Hop feminism, arts-based education to foster youth civic engagement. In 2022, The Kennedy Center named Dr. Love One Of The Next 50 Leaders making the world more inspired, inclusive, and compassionate.
For her work in the field of Hip Hop education, in 2016, Dr. Love was named the Nasir Jones HipHop Fellow at the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University. In April of 2017, Dr. Love participated in a one-on-one public lecture with late feminist icon, bell hooks, focused on the liberatory education practices of Black and Brown children. In 2018, Georgia’s House of Representatives presented Dr. Love with a resolution for her impact on the field of education. She has also provided commentary for various news outlets including NPR, PBS, Ed Week, The Guardian, and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Recognition & Impact
The numbers tell part of the story. The lasting impact is found in the lives changed, the conversations inspired, and the communities transformed. Explore the milestones and achievements that reflect a career dedicated to reimagining education.
Testimonials
