Angie Thomas gives a voice to young black women in The Hate U Give

Angie Thomas released her first young adult novel just eight weeks ago and it immediately shot to the top of the New York Times bestseller list. It's a feat that not many writers can say they've accomplished but Thomas's book, The Hate U Give, is striking an important and timely chord with readers.

Inspired by the reaction to Oscar Grant's death in 2009, Thomas began writing a book that would address police brutality, profiling and racism, all through the perspective of a young black girl named Starr. 

"I honestly feel like young black girls are so often left out of the conversation and they shouldn't be," Thomas argues, about discussions surrounding Black Lives Matter and otherwise. "Young black boys are usually the victims but young black girls are affected as well and I wanted to write this for them." 

— Produced by Dawna Dingwall