Everyone! I'm SO EXCITED to end this amazing Gay Pride Month (THANK YOU, SCOTUS!) with an initiative that seems pretty fantastic, and dare I say, lifesaving. The Read Proud Listen Proud program connects LGBTQ youth with authors, information, and support through books and stories. Cheryl Herman (bio below, one of the facilitators of this awesome program, answers a few of my questions about this initiative (my questions in bold).

SO. COOL.  

1. What can you tell us about the Read Proud Listen Proud program? 

It’s an interactive online resource, featuring LGBTQ books and audiobooks, that is designed to spark discussion and to encourage understanding through storytelling--celebrating everyone for who they are.  Whether a book or audio is centered on LGBTQ-related issues or features a character who is a positive LGBTQ role model, that story helps to teach young readers and listeners how to be tolerant and loving toward others. We tapped authors Ann Bausum, Tim Federle, and David Levithan to contribute interviews discussing some of these issues as well. 

2. How did this come about?

Encouraging diversity within the children's book industry has been a hot topic over the last year, with calls from many readers, librarians, authors, and publishers for a greater representation of a range of race and ethnicity, religion, gender, and orientation among authors and characters. 

We were inspired to create the Read Proud Listen Proud site by all the great work the We Need Diverse Books movement has been doing to bring attention to this issue and award-winning author Ann Bausum’s recent book, STONEWALL, of the first nonfiction chronicles of the gay rights movement written for young adults.

Then once the phenomenal Tim Federle, author of BETTER NATE THAN EVER and FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, NATE!, agreed to narrate the audiobook the idea really took shape.

3. What is the most challenging part of running this program?

Even with the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark decision in favor of same-sex marriage last week, we still have a long way to go in many respects. A teacher in North Carolina was recently forced to resign after reading a fairy tale featuring two princes in love to his students, and eight states continue to restrict or forbid talking about LGBTQ issues in public schools.

I think our continual challenge is going to be getting the word out to teen readers and listeners, as well as their parents, teachers, and librarians, so they can discover these great books. 

We kicked it off this weekend at the American Library Association’s annual meeting, held in San Francisco, where we gave away 4000 of pairs of rainbow sunglasses at the conference and the Pride parade. [Editor's Note: How badly do you wish you were there? If only! :)]

4. What is the most rewarding part of running the program?

Now more than ever, we need to continue to encourage conversations about LGBTQ issues with children and young adults. The Read Proud Listen Proud program allows us to play our small part through the power of storytelling-- as, stories can spread a positive message of tolerance and respect. 

The response we've gotten from the publishing and library community so far as been astounding. Incredibly there haven't been similar resources available before now and everyone we've talked to has met the idea with huge enthusiasm--we're really filling a need for a place to find these titles. 

5. What are some long-term goals?

Into the future, we want to continue to the momentum, providing engaging and inspiring interviews, videos, audio clips, and more to teachers, librarians, parents, and teens. Also, make the site an aggregator of LBGTQ-related news happening in our nation's schools and libraries. Lastly, we will be expanding the title suggestion lists to include even more great LBGTQ literature.

 

Cheryl Herman is the Marketing Director for BOT & Listening Library, imprints of the Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group. She began her career in book publishing at the literacy agency Curtis Brown, Ltd. shortly after graduating from Williams College. For nearly 20 years, Cheryl has been marketing to public libraries and schools; first at Simon & Schuster, Inc., then by changing media and joining the audiobook industry in 2001 with Random House, Inc. In 2009, she launched the GuysListen.com initiative with Jon Scieszka, former National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, which helps motivate guys to become lifelong readers and in 2015, HearDiversity.com, which promotes the sharing of diverse stories. She lives in New York City with her family.