Co-host Beth Lyons welcomes Jael Richardson, author and executive director of the Festival of Literary Diversity (FOLD) to discuss the importance of choosing to bring Canadian content- authors, illustrators, publishers- into Canadian classrooms. Looking at the social responsibility and moral imperative of the Canadian education system to book Canadian authors and activists to speak to students. They discuss how the publishing industry in Canada needs to shift to promote Canadian writers, in particular BIPOC authors, that represent the lived experience of our country. How might we as readers and specifically teacher-librarians work to bring intentionality to the authors we showcase within our schools and with our students? Jael shares her thoughts on how teacher-librarians and educators can work from the geographical space in which their students reside to help share a clear path that has been followed by authors and other artists in order to help students make connections. What mandates and policies exist within an educational organization that promotes and holds people accountable to bringing in Canadian authors and content? How might we advocate to make these policies a reality? Lastly, the role of parents and grown-ups in advocating for the reading materials that are consumed by readers, regardless of the medium or genre, is discussed.


Shout out to Toni Duval for being fabulous.

Jael Richardson
@JaelRichardson
The Festival of Literary Diversity- https://thefoldcanada.org/
Q Recommendations- http://www.jaelrichardson.com/writing/q-recommendations

I Read Canadian Day- https://ireadcanadian.com/day/

Books Mentioned In This Episode:
The Stone Thrower: A Daughter’s Lesson, A Father’s Life- Jael Richardson
The Stone Thrower (Children’s Book) - Jael Richardson
Gutter Child- Jael Richardson
You Are Eating An Orange, You Are Naked by Sheung-King
Like Home by Louisa Onome (YA)
Bruised by Tanya Boteju