Maya and the Robot

Eve L. Ewing is a writer, scholar, and cultural organizer from Chicago, Illinois. She is an associate professor in the Department of Race, Diaspora, and Indigeneity at the University of Chicago. Ewing has published numerous works in a variety of disciplines. Her first book, Electric Arches, is a collection of poetry, prose, and visual arts. This collection explores Black girlhood and womanhood by blending realism with the surreal and fantastic, and it explores themes around identity, race, and gender in an urban setting. Her second book, 1919, is a collection of poems and children’s songs about the stoning and drowning of Eugene Williams and the Chicago Race Riot of 1919 that followed. Maya and the Robot is her third book and her first middle grade novel. Her background in sociology and education is evident throughout her works, which often explore the intersection of race, identity, and social justice.

Beyond her writing, Ewing's artistic endeavors extend to various mediums, from visual art to academic research. As a sociologist, she delves into the structural inequalities and systemic injustices that permeate society and uses her platform to amplify marginalized voices and advocate for meaningful change. Her commitment to grassroots activism and community engagement is evident in her involvement in initiatives such as the Black Lives Matter movement and the fight for educational equity. Ewing also works as an educator in community-based and school settings. For example, she teaches courses on race and education at the University of Chicago and is an occasional instructor for the Prison + Neighborhood Art Project (a project that uses classes and workshops to connect artists and scholars with people incarcerated at Stateville Maximum Security Prison.

This background and oeuvre inform Maya and the Robot in a number of ways. First, the novel reflects her interest and belief in the importance of community. Maya and the Robot is a novel brimming with positive community engagement. This is most clearly embodied by Mr. Mac, who does everything he can to help anyone who comes into his store—he is more interested in providing people with what they need than making a profit. He is kind and inviting and always makes an effort to engage with everyone. He sees them as neighbors rather than customers, and in many ways, this makes his store the heart of the community. This is most evident when the entire community shows up to support him for his son's memorial.

The other major areas that Ewing’s background shapes Maya and the Robot are in its focus on the importance of diversity and representation in S.T.E.M. fields, and on the issues facing children in adolescence. Maya is an incredibly capable scientist for her age, but nonetheless, she suffers moments of self-doubt and lacks confidence. Throughout the novel she comes across a diverse cast of role models who validate and empower her dreams of becoming a real scientist when she is older. Maya herself functions as an excellent example of diverse representation as well, as she models perseverance, problem solving, and the joy of scientific curiosity.