Planning and Puzzles

Planning a project is like working on a puzzle; you can only go so far with the pieces you have. Today's planning meeting began at the Stribley Park Community Center in Stockton, CA. Another step in the right direction, and another piece to our puzzle is set into place. Progress toward a bilingual library and museum continues!

This is the latest in a series of meetings held since April, 2014. We have the full support of our district area Councilwoman Dyane Burgos-Medina. We have a resourceful grant writer, Nathan Werth, committed to helping our project. We have direct support of several teachers, school administrators and businesses in this area not to mention the countless family and friends who have cheered on this process from the beginning.

I will post regular updates to our progress in the coming days. I admit maintaining a blog is a juggling act. I applaud all Bloggers out there for the work they do! It's not as easy as it looks.

"We Need Diverse Books!"

On May 1, 2014, we join the public call for action supporting diversity in Literature! We Need Diverse Books Tumblr blog gives you all the details how to announce from the hilltops - or your laptops - "We need diverse books!"

Many people & organizations promote diversity, bilingual, multi-cultural literature; it's exciting to see all come together to be a part of this campaign for the next 3 days as one voice. 

May 2, 2014 - Twitter chat is scheduled for 11pm (PST) using the #WeNeedDiverseBooks. Share your thoughts on diversity in literature and why it matters!

May 3, 2014 11am (PST) It's time to "Diversify Your Shelves"! This is to encourage you to buy diverse books! Hello! Let's work our purchasing power mi gente! Go out to bookstores, new or used and of course your local libraries, and ask for their favorite diversity picks! Talk to a librarian, they love answering questions! Trust me I know this.

We know diversity in literature matters in Stockton, CA. We want to see our children and adults reading, connecting with characters they can relate to and sparking interest. The positive outcomes are so obvious! Let's do our part to shout! shout! shout! "We need diverse books!"

Friday Recap!

Researching bilingual libraries, bookstores and bookshops this week lead to more questions about the vision to revive Fair Oaks Library. What will it look like? What days & hours will it be open? What services will the community really want from their library & tech center? It's exciting to uncover the possibilities!
Take another look at 2 inspirational places >>

It can be done because it has been done

What was once just a passing thought became a possibility when I read a Facebook post of La Casa Azul Bookstore in East Harlem, NY. After seeing numerous postings of activities, book club discussions, and workshops - wow, I was blown away! It was my first time really seeing a successful, active bilingual book store.

La Casa Azul Bookstore, owned by Aurora Anaya Cerda, opened on June 1, 2012. Among various awards and recognitions, recently she was honored by The White House as a Champion of Change. Various literary activities include book clubs, author signings, writer’s conferences and workshops to name a few.

www.lacasaazulbookstore.com