Invisible Child

Through close to ten years of investigative work, "Invisible Child" delves into eight eventful years in the life of Dasani Coates, a young girl whose vivid imagination reaches higher than the towering skyscrapers surrounding her Brooklyn homeless shelter. Born around the start of a new era, Dasani’s name — inspired by a brand of bottled water — reflects the sweeping changes in Brooklyn due to gentrification and the common dreams of a city deeply divided. As Dasani's family moves between various shelters, the narrative explores her family's history, spanning from the era of slavery to the Great Migration northward.During a time when New York City faces an escalating homelessness crisis, Dasani navigates her formative years. In the shadows of a modern-day Gilded Age, she takes on the role of leader for her seven siblings, steering them through challenges such as hunger, parental drug abuse, violence, housing instability, segregated education, and the relentless scrutiny of the child-welfare system. At thirteen, Dasani's enrollment in a Pennsylvania boarding school subjects her loyalties to unprecedented tests. She grapples with a profound dilemma: can leaving behind poverty justify distancing oneself from deeply loved family members?"Invisible Child" is both heart-wrenching and enlightening, challenging and uplifting. This remarkable tale highlights the formidable strength of resilience, the vital role of family ties, and the profound impact of societal inequality.