Bookshelf Diversity 2025

The "Bookshelf Diversity" project grew out of the RUT partnership Arts in Action with Exeter High School ninth grade English teachers in their unit on justice, equity, and social change. In her class presentation, student Ingrid Janicki's project "Bookshelf Diversity" emphasized bringing more voices to our students' worlds/ perspectives and not in tokenism through performative diversity, but instead, healthy readings that honor natural inclusiveness versus reading diverse books on Chinese holidays or celebrations of progress for under-represented groups. Ingrid advocated for reading books as if most stories could have people of any identities playing out the plot lines as well. 

The topic "Bookshelf Diversity" endorsed by the Racial Unity Team was introduced for the first time in 2021 at the UNH Summer Literacy Institutes.

Here is Ingrid’s essay Schools Need To Reexamine The Common English Curriculum, or visit the link to hear Ingrid Janicki's talk and her teacher's praise of her work following the end of her talk.

Each quarte the Racial Unity Team hopes to donate books to selected schools and for 2024 we ask:  In your perspective, how does the current literature in your classroom reflect the diversity, or lack thereof, within your student population? How would this grant support a more inclusive and representative learning environment? Furthermore, please discuss how you plan to integrate these diverse materials into your curriculum.  

Enter now for a chance to diversify your classroom library with $500 by completing the Bookshelf Diversity Contest Submission Form 

Applicant must have a working classroom library.

Applicant must be willing to be included in Racial Unity Team promotional materials, e.g., social media sites/news articles and be willing to participate in research into the effectiveness of diverse classroom libraries on student outcomes in reading.

We will select at least one winner each quarter to receive $500 worth of diverse books that you select from a lits that you receive.  Substitutions  are permitted. 

We see this as a growing partnership beyond this immediate opportunity and, therefore, envision applicants to be interested in working together on future endeavors.

The books are given to you to support your work as a classroom teacher - not to your school/ school district. Please be sure this is clear to your administrators before you apply. If you leave the district to teach elsewhere, the books go with you. If you leave teaching, we encourage you to gift the books to a teacher and classroom that you feel these books would benefit.

Applicants must be willing to be contacted about books read and favorites among the selections to assist us in creating an ongoing list of recommended books. 

Don't keep it to yourself, let other teachers know. Share this link racialunityteam.com/bookshelf-diversity

Do you have questions? Bring it to our attention! Besides providing you with the answers, we will display the most frequently asked questions, so everybody benefits.  Questions? Email racialunityteam1@gmail.com