The Read in Color program is gearing up for an exciting new wave of activity! We’re thrilled to kick off our third cohort cycle. Read on to meet the organizations bringing Read in Color to their communities as part of our fall cohort.
Birdie’s Bookmobile — Detroit, MI
“Birdie’s Bookmobile is a non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating book deserts and getting books into the hands and homes of children and families in Detroit. Our mission is to make diverse books more accessible, increase the number of books children have at home, and improve literacy outcomes. We are intentional about distributing books that feature BIPOC and neurodivergent & disabled characters and that highlight a variety of cultures & traditions throughout the storyline. Birdie’s Bookmobile is excited to partner with Read in Color in this important work.”
Change and Action for Racial Equity (C.A.R.E.) — St. Louis, MO
The mission of Change and Action for Racial Equity (C.A.R.E.) is to promote racial equity and inclusion. One of the areas we focus on is education and this aligns directly with the Read in Color program goal of bringing diverse books to Little Free Libraries (LFLs). C.A.R.E. began in 2020 and since 2021 we have embarked on a goal of placing 50 Little Free Libraries in book deserts around the St. Louis area. To date we have installed 39 LFLs and in partnership with other organizations and private donors have placed over 5,000 books in the community. We look forward to the opportunity to partner with the LFL Read in Color program and to continue to make a significant impact to increase literacy and book ownership in the St. Louis area.
Our Kids Read — Columbia, MD
Our Kids Read is a MD-based 501(c)3 dedicated to sparking the joy of reading in low-income communities using diverse books! Our Kids Read has donated over 95,000 books by and about people of color to students in underserved communities in GA, CA, MD, DC, VA, NY, NJ, MI, PA and OR. In addition to book donations, OKR reads to and mentors hundreds of the children we serve every week as part of our free virtual (Zoom-based) one-on-one Reading Buddies program. OKR is delighted to have been selected to participate in the Fall 2024 Cohort of the Little Free Library Read in Color Program. Read in Color’s goal to help distribute books by and about BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and other marginalized voices aligns directly with the Our Kids Read vision and mission.
Learn more about Read in Color, and see where we’ve placed Little Free Libraries through the program in the past. Donate today! When you donate, you help us provide libraries to communities like these.