A new Pitt collection showcases the stories of local author Sharon G. Flake

A breakthrough moment

In 1992, Flake entered a short story contest judged by acclaimed playwright August Wilson. Her entry, "The Luckiest Sister," explored colorism within a family through the eyes of a light-skinned girl reflecting on how the world treated her darker-skinned sibling.

The story won.

Wilson presented the award in a Hill District church, a moment Flake still remembers vividly. The story was later published in AIM magazine and became her first published work of fiction.

The themes she explored in that early story - identity, belonging and self-acceptance - would later shape her literary career.

Flake's debut novel, "The Skin I'm In," published in 1998, quickly became a landmark in young adult literature. The story follows Maleeka Madison, a middle school girl struggling with bullying and insecurity about her dark skin. Through the guidance of a teacher who embraces her own difference, Maleeka learns to claim her voice and self-worth.

The novel resonated deeply with readers and educators. It won the 1999 Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent and later received additional Coretta Scott King honors.

Over the years, Flake has written numerous acclaimed books for young readers, including "Money Hungry," "Pinned," "Bang!" "The Life I'm In" and "The Family I'm In." Her stories explore the emotional lives of young people navigating identity, relationships and resilience. Her recent book "Hattie Mae Begins Again" has earned broad praise.

For many readers, those stories are deeply personal.

Khirsten L. Scott, an assistant professor in Pitt's School of Education and director of the Western Pennsylvania Writing Project, remembers first encountering Flake's work as a child.

Scott's great-aunt, who worked for a publishing company in Chicago, would periodically send her boxes of books.

"One time, 'The Skin I'm In' was in that box," Scott recalled. "What struck me immediately was the cover: There was a Black girl on it."

For Scott, that representation was powerful. "I do not remember seeing that very often when I was young, especially not on a chapter book that centered a young Black girl's story," she said. I felt deeply connected to Maleeka."

Years later, after moving to Pittsburgh, Scott had the opportunity to meet Flake through community work around literacy and youth writing. The conversations they shared, she said, deepened her appreciation for Flake's influence.

"What stands out to me about Sharon's work is how expansively she stories Black life - families, communities and the layered realities of Black cultural experience," said Scott, who added that it's an influence she sees in classrooms.

Teachers often choose Flake's books, said Scott, because students connect so strongly to the characters and themes. Through programs supported by the Western Pennsylvania Writing Project, students have read "The Skin I'm In" and even had opportunities to meet Flake and discuss her work.

Preserving her heart

Today, Flake is thinking about legacy.

Among the materials now preserved in Pitt's archive are speeches, drafts of books, event programs and letters from teachers and readers. One box even includes a handmade T-shirt a student created based on one of her novels. Another contains a Japanese translation of "The Skin I'm In" sent by a reader overseas.

Most meaningful to Flake are the letters from students.

"I kept almost everything," she said. "Letters, drawings, thank-you notes. Those things tell a story, too."

The archive also reveals her creative process - handwritten edits, crossed-out sentences and early drafts that show writing as a complicated, evolving craft.

"I want people to see that creativity is messy," she said. "You try things. You throw some things out."

When readers and researchers explore the collection, Flake hopes they discover something deeper than literary success.

Her writing, she said, carries a simple but powerful message.

"It's OK to be Black," she said. "And it's OK to be yourself."

"Writing allows you to open your heart," she said. "It should be honest and unashamed."