The Book League Program Launch

What is The Book League?

In July 2022, the idea for The Book League was sparked after I chatted with a Houston-area independent bookseller who expressed encountering a challenge with increasing participation from children and teens of underserved, underrepresented, and marginalized communities in a community book club. As a middle school and high school teacher who has taught English and Science for seven years, I've encountered similar challenges with fostering a love of reading, promoting literacy, and facilitating access to books among underserved youth. One hundred percent of the time, it has nothing to do with the false myth that children and teens in marginalized communities do not like to read. Instead, these children and teens are severely underserved and are not afforded access to books that represent their identities and lived experiences, so they feel shut out of a literary world that is not inclusive.

The Book League was founded to promote literacy in the K-12 population and among students of underserved communities. It aims to:

1. Provide in-school and after-school book clubs and book chats for children and teens

2. Purchase diverse, inclusive books for youth participants that reflect their lived experiences and identities

3. Increase access to author visits for youth in underserved communities by funding the author visits.

How Will Raised Funds Be Used?

The funds I hope to raise to launch The Book League at several schools in the Houston, Texas area that have expressed interest will go toward the August 2022 -July 2023 School Year budget that consist of:

Book Purchases

Author Visit Fees

Legal fees (consultation, trademark, non-profit filings)

Operational costs (P.O. Box, office & shipping supplies, grant writer, school liason & volunteer coordinator)

GoFundMe Fee

Overhead and Administrative Costs

Marketing Budget

Website Design and Hosting

How Will The Book League Support Future Operation Costs?

While there will be a yearly fundraising component, The Book League will look to secure grants and corporate sponsorships as its main funding sources in the future, so it isn't placing a continuous burden on the community to support it.