About Me
Kelsey Combs
Hi! My name is Kelsey Combs and this is my blog dedicated to exploring children's literature that focuses on anti-racist and the telling of authentic stories by voices of marginalized groups. I am working on finishing my masters degree in reading education with a certificate in autism at Appalachian State University. I have my bachelor's in elementary education with a minor in history. I am devoted to teaching literature that represents people from all cultures, race, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, ect. I believe it is important for children to be exposed to books and other forms of literature that include characters that they can relate to. Also, literature that broadens their knowledge of cultures, family structures, and people's lives in general that differs from theirs!
The Story Behind My Name
Kelsey Combs
The story behind my name is quite simple. However, when I was born, my parents did not have a name picked out for me and I was called "Baby Girl Combs" for a few days, so I was nameless. Eventually, my Mom and Dad came up with Kelsey Lane Combs. I asked if there was any specific reasoning behind it and my parents said they just liked the name. When discussing my name, my Dad said that they should have probably spelled my middle name differently and even my Grandma sometimes spells "Lane" like "Layne". I have always really liked my name. I have never wanted to change it or go by anything else because I feel like it suits me.
My family has pretty simple names, which is why I would not want to change my name because it is fitting for the rest of my family's names. For example, my Brothers name is Alex. It is not shortened from Alexander because my Dad said, "Why would we name him Alexander if we are going to be calling him Alex?". That always stuck out to me because it makes sense. There is no significance behind the name Alexander in our family, so why would we name him something we were not going to call him.
One name that my parents were considering naming me was, Laylani. My Mom thought the name was very beautiful and she went to high school with someone with that name. My Dad did not like that name at all because he did not feel that would be a fitting name. If I was a boy, my parents wanted to name me Alex, which is my brothers name. This shows me they were pretty set on naming a son they had Alex.