Rebel Girls Dads & Daughters: 25 Tales of Teamwork and Fun
FOREWORD Dear Rebels What are your big dreams Maybe you imagine yourself as a scientist inventing new ways to help the environment Perhaps you picture yourself as an actor in front of a camera Or maybe you'd like to be a teacher and inspire children every day When I was a kid I had big dreams too I wanted to be an entertainer and I wanted to train to be an astronaut Pretty different dreams I know But guess what I got to do both As a member of NSYNC I traveled the world singing in front of sold-out crowds night after night We even performed at the Super Bowl halftime show with one of my all-time favorite bands Aerosmith Being a member of the band also afforded me the opportunity to fulfill that other childhood dream I mentioned I went to Russia and trained with astronauts Back then I thought things couldn't get any better But I had another big dream on the horizon becoming a dad When we got married in 2014 my husband Michael and I knew we wanted to start a family But as a gay couple having children came with its challenges After years of struggle and heartbreak we finally welcomed our twins Violet and Alexander in October of 2021. Now I'm always thinking about what our kids dreams might be And as a girl dad as Violet's baba I want to be as supportive as possible of our daughter At just two years old Violet already has a personality all her own Her big hazel eyes are always carefully observing everything going on around her She'll let her brother try out a new slide on the playground before she gives it a go She's a budding fashion icon and insists on putting together her own outfits complete with mismatched shoes layered skirts and pool floaties as accessories It's a look Michael and I love seeing her little spirit shine And we want to do everything we can to make sure our Rebel Girl's light never goes out 4
I'm so inspired by the ways in which the dads in Dads and Daughters 25 Tales of Teamwork and Fun challenged encouraged and supported their daughters I strive to be the same kind of cheerleader for Violet Seriously I will happily grab some pom-poms and a megaphone to cheer my daughter on And I know that hearing about the accomplishments of all of the amazing women and girls in this book will boost her confidence in a big way My wish for Violet is that she pursues her passions wholeheartedly and that she never forgets how strong she is Every night I read to my twins and I've already added the Rebel Girls books to our nighttime routine Violet has been delighted to learn about Zaya Wade strutting down runways with her dad Dwyane beaming in the front row I know Luca and Alba Trapanese's sweet story about advocating for LGBTQIA and disability rights will mean a lot to my family And I hope reading about Coco and Corey Gauff's journey to tennis superstardom encourages Violet to work hard for her goals Get ready to be inspired by all of these amazing stories Rebel And know that the person you call dad or baba is rooting for you always Lance Bass 5
6 ALBA AND LUCA TRAPANESE CONTENT CREATORS AND DISABILITY ADVOCATES Once there was a little girl named Alba who loved to spend time with her dad Luca Together they danced and sang read books and played dress up Their little family was built differently than some but their happiness felt exactly the same When Alba was born her mother put her up for adoption But it was a little tricky to find the perfect family for Alba because she had a disability Alba was born with a genetic condition called Down syndrome Some kids with Down syndrome have medical problems or developmental delays People with Down syndrome are often excellent visual learners and very social With support many succeed in school have lots of friends and work at rewarding jobs when they grow up Enter Luca Trapanese Luca had a deep desire to be a dad But strict adoption laws in Italy made it hard for a gay single man like Luca to adopt a child Luca refused to give up One day he heard about a baby girl named Alba Other families didn't think they could care for Alba because of her disability Luca had volunteered at nonprofit organizations for people with disabilities such as Down syndrome for many years He knew he could provide an excellent home for a child with a disability He immediately applied to adopt Alba Luca waited and waited Finally he got the call he'd been hoping for his application was accepted He was going to be a dad Luca rushed to the hospital With trembling fingers he scooped Alba into his arms His heart was filled with joy as he looked down into her bright sparkling eyes Today Luca speaks out for people just like him and Alba kids with disabilities single dads and gay parents advocating for their wholehearted acceptance ALBA BORN JULY 2017 LUCA BORN JANUARY 14 1977 ITALY
THE TRADITIONAL FAMILY DOESN'T EXIST WE'RE ALL TRADITIONAL IF THE BASIS IS LOVE LUCA TRAPANESE ILLUSTRATION BY ARCHINA LAEZZA
