Alfonso, age four, had never willingly visited the library at his early-learning center. But one morning Alfonso's teacher had something new to show her class -- a brand-new collection of children's books about Latino culture and history. Later that day, instead of going to the playground during his free play period, Alfonso headed straight to the library, excitedly pointing out a book about the Mexican folktale La Llorona to his friends.
We know, and every study confirms, that strong reading skills are critical to a child's success in school, impacting everything from English class to their performance in math. But kids won't simply take to reading just because they're told to. They need a way in. For Alfonso, seeing a book about something familiar -- something that reflected his life experience -- was all it took to get him excited about reading.
From beloved children's author Walter Dean Myers' call for more diverse characters to the viral #WeNeedDiverseBooks campaign to the efforts of publishers like Lee & Low Books, the need for diversity in children's literature is getting plenty of attention. And to get our kids reading and to put them on track for educational success, we need to take action and deliver the books they need.
In the United States, the traditional market for book buyers has been the top 10 percent of the socioeconomic strata. Which means most authors, characters and stories that are published reflect the lives of affluent white families.
For decades, publishing insiders have argued that like it or not, this is what the market wants. Books about "other" kinds of children, "other" kinds of families and communities, they say, simply don't sell.
But they're wrong. Diverse books can and do sell. We've just been looking at the wrong market.
Last year First Book stepped up to the plate, making a commitment through the Clinton Global Initiative America to pioneer a market-driven solution to the lack of diversity in children's books. The absence of diverse characters and narratives is an industry problem that we see in our work providing new, high-quality books to children from low-income families. In recognition of America's rich tapestry, we're selecting books that highlight not only racial and ethnic diversity, but also the experiences of people with disabilities, and the stories of people with different religious beliefs, socioeconomic backgrounds, and sexual identities.
I have seen first-hand how America is growing in diversity. The Hispanic population of the U.S. stands at over 50 million, and experts expect that number to rise to nearly 129 million by 2060. As First Book's director of Hispanic engagement, I also know first-hand how important it is to increase the number of books that affirm these young people's lives. To that end, with the support of Disney and local teachers and community leaders across the country, First Book made a special effort to devote resources toward providing kids with stories focused on Latino culture and heritage.
Through our CGI commitment, which has put over 270,000 books about Latino culture into the hands of kids in need, we've learned some valuable lessons that we hope will inform the national conversation on children's literature.
- To become readers, kids need to see themselves in books. In a survey last year of more than 2,000 educators from First Book schools and programs, 90 percent of respondents indicated that the children in their programs would be more enthusiastic readers if they had access to books with characters, stories and images that reflect their lives and their communities.
These books are desperately needed. Before connecting with First Book, 73 percent of the classrooms and programs had few, if any, books featuring Latino culture and heritage. White children need diverse stories, too. This is something not everyone realizes. Seeing only white characters in books can turn children of color off of reading, but it also keeps white children from getting a clear picture of the world they live in. Ninety-one percent of the educators we worked with said the books they received will enable their non-Latino students to better connect with the experiences of their Latino classmates. Multicultural stories empower and inspire teachers. Eighty percent of the educators who received books highlighting Latino culture and heritage were able to develop new programming and curricula. Diverse books make good business sense. No solution will be sustainable unless it's market-driven, so it's critical that these books are actually selling -- and they are. Multicultural titles are the most popular category of books that First Book offers, and since we created our diversity initiative, we've sold more than 500,000 books from the collection.We're taking these lessons to heart. As part of our ongoing Stories for All Project, we're demonstrating that there is a vibrant and growing market for a diverse range of authors, stories and characters reflecting who we are: Latinos, African-Americans, Native Americans, Asian and Pacific Islander Americans, LGBTQ families, those with special needs and more.
In the end, more diversity simply makes more sense: educators need better tools to reach students where they are; publishers need access to a new and valuable market; and children need a broad range of stories that truly reflect our multicultural world. Investing in diverse content is a strategy that creates the best narrative for all.
This post is part of a series produced by The Huffington Post and the Clinton Global Initiative in recognition of the latter's fourth meeting of CGI America (June 23-25, 2014, in Denver). CGI America convenes business, government, and civil society leaders each year to make commitments boosting the economic recovery and long-term competitiveness of the United States. For more information, click here.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.