Access & Action: Why Diverse Books Matter

“The strength of the coalition is not just in our numbers. It’s in our shared values. It’s in our shared strength and outrage, quite frankly, and sense of urgency about what needs to happen to provide diverse books to all children across this country. We know that narratives are especially powerful in changing how people think what they believe, and ultimately the behaviors and decisions that they make.”  

– Ernestine Benedict, ZERO TO THREE

This GLR Learning Tuesdays webinar featured the Diverse Books for All Coalition, a new national consortium of nonprofits and member organizations working together to increase access to affordable, high-quality diverse books for children from birth to 8 years old. Co-sponsored by First Book and the Diverse Books for All Coalition, the session opened with two experts explaining why diverse books and this initiative are especially critical now. Iheoma Iruka, Ph.D., Research Professor, Department of Public Policy at UNC Chapel Hill, shared current census data revealing the increasing diversity in the United States, especially among children. She discussed the critical roles that diverse books play in helping children in their earliest years as they form their self-identities and sense of empathy and attachment, and in the 3 P’s: protection, promotion and preservation. Next, Deborah Caldwell-Stone, Director of the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom and Executive Director of the Freedom to Read Foundation, reported on the dramatic increase in the number of organized, coordinated efforts to ban and censor books across the country, and the impact that is having.

Following these two presentations, Renee Blahuta, EdD, Program Officer, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, which has provided initial funding for the Coalition, moderated a panel discussion among four Coalition members. Kyle Zimmer, the President, CEO and Co-Founder of First Book, described how diverse books are central to First Book’s mission, why First Book spearheaded the Coalition’s launch, and the goals of the Coalition, which are embedded in racial and educational equity. She described one of the Coalition’s strategies: to use the combined market power of members to undertake a collective purchasing initiative. Ernestine Benedict, Chief Communications Officer for ZERO TO THREE, who co-chairs the Coalition’s Narrative Group, discussed the power of narrative as an important tool for social change and the shared values that drive the Coalition’s work. Chris McGilvery, the Founder and Executive Director of The Leaders Readers Network, shared some of the challenges facing his organization and the educators he works with in Texas to provide access to culturally relevant books that are needed by students. Alvin Irby, Founder and Chief Reading Inspirer of Barbershop Books, described how his organization uses a community-based approach, with a focus on having Black boys select the books they want to read — and the role that families play to support children as readers. As part of the discussion, each panelist shared how the Coalition — as a co-owned, co-developed collaboration — is different; why they are personally involved; and why they believe this work is so important.

“I think it’s so important that we collaborate together when we’re tackling an issue to improve literacy outcomes for historically marginalized communities. We cannot do this work alone, and this issue doesn’t belong to just one person. …We need to advocate for diverse books and culturally relevant books where kids can see themselves. This is about ensuring that they can grow today,  and that our society continues to thrive.”  

– Chris McGilvery, The Leaders Readers Network