Diverse books for diverse kids in a diverse world!
Welcome to Literacy and Diversity for All, Inc.
Contribute to Our Cause
Your contributions will enable us to help inspire children by supporting those who are committed to diversity, literacy, and education. Your generous donation will fund our mission to get more books with positive representation of People of Color into the hands of children.
To donate, click below.
NOTE: To donate to BACK-TO-SCHOOL PRAYER, please click the menu bar above to visit the event page.
About Us
OUR SUPPORTERS AND DONORS
PEOPLE just like you - You care about children and their ability to read and have access to books they can relate to. You care about how they feel about themselves and their hopes for the future. You understand that books do more than educate... they inspire!
BUSINESSES just like yours - You care about children and communities that may need a little extra support. You want to give back. Paying it forward and making a difference in the lives of others is important to you. You want children to see that anything is possible! You know that through books, the endless possibilities are easier for children to imagine!
EVERYONE - You want all children to feel they can have a fair chance at a bright future. You know literacy is key! You see diversity as beautiful and you want all children to feel valued. If they can see it, they can believe it and achieve it. With characters who positively represent them, their friends and communities, it is so much easier to see the world as a place they truly belong.
EVERY CONTRIBUTION MAKES A DIFFERENCE!
With your contributions, we will provide support to BIPOC authors, illustrators, publishers, booksellers, helping them continue to write and publish books that feature BIPOC characters, enabling children to be inspired and encouraged by seeing themselves represented in their books. Those books will be purchased and provided to children in disadvantaged communities, without cost to their families. We will also provide books to educators, literacy professionals, and community organizations that provide literacy and educational services to children. In addition, BIPOC booksellers will be supported, to ensure that diverse books remain available and BIPOC-owned businesses that support literacy and diversity remain open in their communities.
We appreciate EVERY donation. Together, we can make a difference.
Meet Our Founder, Author Naomi V. Dunsen-White
The mission began as a sincere desire in the heart of our founder, Naomi V. Dunsen-White, to see the wide diversity gap in the children's book industry CLOSED. There are just not enough children's books featuring characters who are Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC). Aren't the dreams and adventures presented in books for BIPOC children too?
Believing that books are for ALL children, not just some children,
Naomi knew that positive representation for children of Color was critical.
Research shows that the inability to "see themselves" in the books they read can impact their self-esteem, self-confidence and sense of self-worth, in addition to creating doubt about their own unique path and place in this world.
With a strong desire to get these books into disadvantaged communities, Naomi began giving her books to children. Soon, she asked others to join her and book donation campaigns were underway! A successful Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign for her second book, "Why Am I Here? A Child's Book About Purpose," helped her donate over 500 books to children, classrooms, libraries, literacy and community organizations, and more.
Although over 1,000 books have been gifted to children, Naomi knew her reach into communities of need would be greater if a nonprofit organization was formed and more authors and more books were included. That was her dream!
Now, more people, including small businesses and large corporations, can help and also receive a tax benefit by making charitable contributions to our very worthy cause.
We can make a difference!
Humble Beginnings... start at home.
Starting with her own books, children's author, Naomi V. Dunsen-White began giving... and getting her uplifting stories with characters of Color into the hands of inner-city children she hoped to inspire!
The giving began in Detroit, Pontiac, and Flint in her home state of Michigan. These often-overlooked communities present challenges to children and schools. Positive representation in books can encourage children to read more, learn more, and dream more!
The response to her books was heartwarming. The smiles on the children's faces upon receiving a new book of their own... priceless!
Now, it's time to expand our reach! There are so many BIPOC authors, illustrators, and booksellers, and organizations who are committed to the literacy needs of children. With our support, more diverse books will get into the hands of more children. Diverse books for diverse children in a diverse world!
As a nonprofit organization, we can do it! You can help! Please consider donating today!
Reaching across the world... to Tanzania, East Africa!
After visiting and donating copies of her book, "Why Am I Here? A Child's Book About Purpose," Naomi established a relationship with Sahara Nursery and Boarding School in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The students were happy and surprised to meet an African American author from America and see characters in the book with beautiful, brown skin, just like theirs. After hearing Naomi's inspiring message that they could "be anything, go anywhere, and become anything - just like the characters in their books," the children were encouraged to dream, believe in themselves and work hard to achieve their goals. They were inspired to believe that the adventures and possibilities in books were meant for children who look like them too! Every child has a purpose!
In addition, we have donated books to children in Ghana, Jamaica, and Haiti. We hope to give more and more diverse books to children around the world!
Students at Sahara School, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The students at Sahara School were so appreciative, and the teachers were grateful for the books! It was such a joyous experience.
Naomi plans to return with hundreds of donated books to share with the students. Many of her friends are children's authors and she dreams of bringing their books to children in the Motherland! Literacy and Diversity for All, Inc. desires to establish school libraries and reading rooms with shelves of books featuring Black and Brown characters for the students to learn, enjoy, and be inspired! This is just the beginning!
Literacy and Diversity for All!
We are joining the 2024 Annual Back-to-School Prayer Event!
Every student matters! Click below to learn more!