APPLETON, Wis. (WFRV) – Sinclair Robins isn’t your average teenager. Not only is she a proud advocate for Gen Z girls and those on the Autism spectrum, she is also a published author.

Robins, a Fox Valley Lutheran senior, is one of more than 80 contributing authors of the newly released book, Teaching Beautiful Brilliant Black Girls. Robin’s vignette “Did I Even Matter?” stems from an incident in elementary school where was singled out by her teacher for speaking up about a term in her textbook. The book referred to slavery as “forced emigration.”

“I’ve never really thought of myself as an author up until this point. I mean I’ve had a peer who started his own art exhibit at 14, so to know that I’m an author at 17 really puts into perspective how young people are acclaimed to do great things,” says Robins.

“I’m hopeful that her openness and vulnerability will be able to open the eyes of some of our educators and how they treat our daughters,” says Dr. Sabrina Robins, Sinclair’s mother.

St. Norbert professor Dr. Delano-Oriaran led the editorial team that worked on the book for over two years.

“It’s a book that engages educators to know to help them, to prepare them to understand that black girls can be whoever they choose to be. Black girls possess the brilliance, they possess the excellence, they possess the magic to thrive and excel in schools,” says Delano-Oriaran.

Sinclair’s story is being shared in schools across the country, and she is just getting started. Robins plans to study mathematics and computer sciences at Marquette University in the fall. She will also continue her advocacy by being active in the On Your Marq program, which offers services to Marquette University students who are on the autism spectrum.

“I believe that black girls can be brilliant and neuro-diverse. Our brains do function differently than the average, but that does not make us an outlier,” says Robins.

“I really hope that I see the day where it’s (Autism) properly accommodated and there’s no systemic barrier that holds us back from doing the things that we aspire to be,” says Robins.

For more information on the book Teaching Beautiful Brilliant Black Girls, click here.