The plate appears full for the month of October. Let’s carve out some time to observe the below events!
Readers and Writers:
Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15)
You may also recognize this celebration as:: Latino Heritage Month, Latinx Heritage Month, or Latine Heritage Month. The theme for 2023: Latinos: Driving Prosperity, Power, and Progress in America.
The United States honors the culture, history, and contributions of Americans whose ancestry are traced to 20 countries and one territory —including Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Spain.
Activities to celebrate: https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/how-to-celebrate-hispanic-heritage-month
Banned Books Week (October 1–7)
It’s time to take action against banned books, not only this week, but every day. Our voices are needed. Speak up, Speak out, Stand up! Libraries (public and school), educators, writers, and booksellers need your help in defending book censorship! So, speak up on Saturday, October 7, with the Let Freedom Read Day campaign. https://bannedbooksweek.org/let-freedom-read-day
To see a list (shared with me) of banned books by African Americans, click here. Quite possibly, you will recognize books you may have read. A few of these books were in my elementary school library collection before I retired a year and a half ago. Some I read to my students. One such book, titled, The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander, can be found on YouTube. Read it to make your decision. And, did you know that in 2015, The Holy Bible was banned. The reason, religious viewpoint! The bottom line: even though these books are banned, we can still read them on our own, if we so choose.
https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/top10/archive
National Friends of Library Week (October 15-21)
Friends of Libraries are charitable groups of volunteers, formed to support local libraries in various ways, including financially. This observance offers opportunities for groups to increase awareness about membership, their goals, projects and more. Question: Have you joined a Friends Group at your local library?
NOTE: I will present a Book Talk (children and adults) on the theme, “Friends” at the Nancy Guinn Library in Conyers, GA., from 1:00pm until 3:00pm. Also, I will autograph copies if my books. If you live in or near the area, please come out and support. I am donating 10% of my sales to the Friends of Library.
National Book Month (October 1-31)
Created in 2003, this annual event celebrates the power of reading and writing. It’s a great opportunity for authors, publishers, booksellers, and readers to expand their love of reading. In 1950, the National Book Foundation highlighted the best fiction, nonfiction, poetry, translated literature, and YA literature, and continues to do so today.
Check out 11 Ways to Celebrate: https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/national-book-month
There’s much to celebrate this month. Go forth, with the power invested in you, and read and write!
Thanks for stopping by and I invite you to join me again as I continue to explore literacy topics. Please share my blog with others and if this post was shared with you, feel free to subscribe to this publication, so that you don’t miss an issue.
Be on the lookout for the launch of my new business, Power of Words: Connecting Readers and Writers, LLC.
Award- Winning Author
Retired Teacher-Librarian
B.A., Music
M.Ed., Media
Ed.S., Media
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