From Actress to Comic Creator: A Homeschool Mom’s Journey

Are you ready to transform your homeschooling journey with the power of creativity and representation? Join Jae as he sits down with Toshi J, an actress and comic creator who is revolutionizing how we think about education and black identity in the arts. This episode explores how passion projects can become powerful teaching tools for the next generation.

In this deep dive, Toshi shares her incredible transition from the theater stage to owning her own publishing house, Midnight Comics. You will learn how a simple frustration with anime endings led to a family business that prioritizes authentic storytelling and diverse characters. Toshi also breaks down her innovative methods for using comics to teach literacy and even mathematics, proving that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to learning.

Beyond the books, we discuss the realities of homeschooling three children, including navigating education for a child with special needs and the importance of maintaining your own identity as a parent. From the benefits of graphic novels to using Dungeons and Dragons for reading comprehension, this conversation is packed with inspiration and practical advice for every creative family.

www.midnightcomics.org melaninminds.carrd.co

BioNatosha (Toshi J) is an actress turned comic creator. Co-founder andeditor in chief of Midnight Comics, she is an award-nominated writerand award-winning comic editor. In 2024, she founded Melanin Minds tohighlight Black women and femmes who work in the comic book industry.

Chapters

0:00 Introduction to Toshi J

3:15 From acting to comic creation

7:45 The birth of Midnight Comics

12:30 Parenting and finding your identity

16:10 Homeschooling a child with special needs

20:45 Why public school was not the right fit

24:20 Building a homeschool community

28:50 Teaching math through comic books

33:15 Literacy benefits of graphic novels

38:00 Challenging the classic literature model

42:30 The stories behind Midnight Comics characters

47:15 Melanin Minds: Representing black women in comics

51:40 Self-care tips for busy homeschool parents

55:20 D and D and roleplaying for reading comprehension

59:00 Final thoughts and where to find Toshi

Make sure to visit the Midnight Comics website to support Toshi's work and check out the Melanin Minds podcast for more stories from black women in the industry. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the channel and leave a comment below about how you use creativity in your own homeschool lessons!

#homeschooling #comicbooks #blackcreatives #education #parenting