You Want More Diverse Lit: Step 2

You’re on a quest for more diverse literature for the young people in your life? Last week, I pointed you to CBC Diversity. Here’s the next thing you can do: Make a point to meet the authors, editors, bloggers, and librarians with a passion for that area. Seek them out. Make relationship. We’re friendly.

Sarah Guillory, Ellen Oh and me. NOVA Teen Book Fest

Example: This past week I met Ellen Oh (among other amazing YA authors) at the Northern Virginia Teen Book Festival – and it didn’t take long for us two former New Yorkers to start putting our heads together on what we can do in the Mid Atlantic region to promote multicultural lit to all kids. She pubs with HarperTeen, and her latest is Warrior, which features Kira, a dragon-slaying ancient Korean girl on a quest. Ellen is kind of a dragon slayer, too. She’s from Brooklyn, by her own admission speaks lousy Korean, and is determined to break stereotypes. Stay tuned.

I’m on the road this week to the National Latino Children’s Literature Conference held at the University of Alabama. That would be Tuscaloosa…which means cars, planes, vans to get there. It’s absolutely worth it, as far as I’m concerned. (Look at the lineup.) It’s the brainchild of Dr. Jamie Campbell Naidoo who has published widely on Latino lit, but also on the power of diverse books in general. I’ll be talking about YAQUI, the Pura Belpré prize, and what my own plans are to help authors and librarians reach wider audiences. I’ll also be meeting library science students, bloggers, and fellow authors who love what I love and who work hard at it, too. In the end, we all make the tapestry together. 

Dr. Jamie Naidoo’s 2013 release

So, something for you to ponder: When you choose conferences to attend, are you looking for those that feature multicultural authors in the lineup?

If you plan conferences, are you making significant efforts to include diverse authors beyond discussions about culturally specific literature?

Hmmmm….more soon! Off to the airport!

Cariños de,

Meg