Giving Tuesday-Support #BannedBook Clubs
This #GivingTuesday, Stand Up for Literacy and Freedom of Expression
This year, over 10,000 unique titles were banned in the United States. Among these are Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye, Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God, and Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson. Brown Girl Dreaming inspired Marley Dias, our very own GrassROOTS Community Foundation SuperGirl, to launch the #1000BlackGirlBooks campaign.
This #GivingTuesday, we ask for your support to establish and grow #BannedBook Clubs in New Jersey and Philadelphia. These clubs bring youth and elders together to read and discuss banned books, championing the freedom to read. Echoing the mission of Pen America:
“We champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of words to transform the world. We stand at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression.”
Why This Matters:
- Most banned books are written by the very community members GrassROOTS Community Foundation has always valued, supported, and uplifted. These bans aim to erase history and silence diverse voices.
- Banned books are diverse books. Diverse books boost literacy by offering relatable stories that inspire young readers.
- We can address post-pandemic learning loss and declining literacy rates by providing children with stories that reflect their world and communities.
Literacy helps children make sense of the world and equips them to create solutions. At a time when literacy rates are falling, banning books moves us in the wrong direction.
We Need Your Help to Push Back.
By supporting our #BannedBook Clubs, you’re helping provide safe spaces where youth can access and discuss these transformative works.
Our Goal: $10,000
Every dollar helps us increase literacy, promote free expression, and give young people the tools to thrive in a world that values diversity and truth.
Join us in protecting the power of words. Donate today.
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