In Ode to Keisha, Jamila Rowser reflects on her childhood when she was the only Black student in an international school in the Netherlands, and what changed when a second Black girl joined her class. Young Jamila and Keisha feel protective of each other in a White environment, but also draw strength and kinship from each other.

Beaming with joy, Trinidad Escobar’s drawings are full of energy and capture several quiet moments between Jamila and Keisha that speak volumes. Through a strategic use of dialogue and powerful panel composition, Jamila and Trinidad create a stirring comics reading experience about foundational friendships!