Our friends at Reading Partners South Carolina helped us expand our Read in Color program last month by launching 10 Read in Color Little Free Library book-sharing boxes in Charleston.
“The event was a true launch of Reading Partners leading with an equity lens in our local community through the diverse books we distributed and it continues our mission of creating lifelong readers!” said Victoria Felder, Community Engagement Manager of Reading Partners South Carolina.
Little Free Library worked with Reading Partners to identify titles to provide for the Little Free Libraries: Stacey’s Extraordinary Words by Stacey Abrams and Kitt Thomas, Root Magic by Eden Royce, and The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb. The books were recommended by and purchased from the only Black-owned brick-and-mortar bookstore in South Carolina, Turning Page Bookshop.
“Charleston’s rich history and widely diverse community made it a no-brainer launch location for the Read in Color program,” said Lexie Neeley, Read in Color Program Manager for Little Free Library. “In partnering with Reading Partners South Carolina, we were able to work with a deeply connected community organization to help make the greatest possible impact. Turning Page Bookshop helped us choose books highlighting South Carolina’s history – and its bright future – and we know these books will be hugely impactful to the readers who stop by these new book exchange boxes.”
The Read in Color initiative has launched in 14 U.S. cities to date, from New York and Washington, D.C. to Atlanta and Phoenix, with plans for even greater expansion this year. More than 150 Read in Color Little Free Libraries and 30,000+ diverse books celebrating Black, Latinx, Asian, Indigenous, LGBTQ+, and other important voices have been shared so far. Learn more and sign the Read in Color pledge here!