Reading Update
/The last time I wrote a book review post was in April when quarantine was only a month in. I never could predicted that at my next book review post things would look so different. Quarantine is still in full swing 4 months later and the content in which I’m reading has completely changed, for the better.
At the end of May when George Floyd was killed a significant shift was made. If you follow me on IG (which I highly recommend you should because it is where I am most detailed and up to date click here) you have seen that this event has shaken me to my core and opened my eyes to the work that I need to do as an individual who happened to be born into a body that offers me great privilege. #BLACKLIVESMATTER
While I’ve donated to countless organizations and will continue to do so, I have vowed to do the work. I will be purchasing from more BIPOC small business owners, supporting causes that further the dismantling of the white privilege surrounding us, using my vote to support those who will create change, and much more. I wanted to take a hard look at my daily actions that I could change to support this very important cause, the first being my library.
Originally, I vowed to purchase one hard copy book from a BIPOC author every month for as long as I’m physically able, to add to my library. I’m very blessed to be in love with a man who values the importance of a library in our home and also wants to be surrounded by good books. What I realized however, is that in my love for secondhand living and reducing waste, I’ve relied mostly on borrowing books from my local library or purchasing secondhand through various methods of thrifting. While both of these options are still great, I realized that this was limiting what was permanently housed in our library and would affect the books that our future children were also surrounded by. I want so many voices to live in that library. I want my future children to hear from perspectives that I can’t possibly give them. I want them to be well rounded and educated so they can make the best decisions for themselves and their world.
That being said, when a friend reached out to encourage me to join her reading challenge, I said yes immediately, because it seemed challenging. She shared that a small group of friends would be taking a vow to only read books written by BIPOC authors from June 19th 2020 (Juneteenth) to the end of June 2021. I knew this was the perfect way to listen, learn, and educate myself on perspectives completely different from my own. It would give me a way to fill my library with voices that need to be read and heard.
Currently I am almost two months into this challenge, have read 7 books, and learned so much. I know this is only one tiny piece of the puzzle, but I am sharing this to encourage you to look at what you are reading, especially if you are an avid reader who values surrounding yourself with good books.
An update on what I have been recently reading will be coming soon, so stay tuned.
Thank you for being here,
Andrea
