Books, Libraries, and Building Representation: Our February Initiative

This month, we donated 15 books by Black and Mixed Heritage authors to Leicester Central Library—and while it might seem small, the impact is anything but.

The Original Plan

We initially planned a larger community book event for Black and Mixed Heritage children. We reached out to major publishers, but many turned us down—our initiative was too small, too niche, or the timeline was too tight.

Instead of giving up, we pivoted.

What We Did Instead

We:

• Reached out directly to Black authors, asking them to donate books

• Used our own funds to purchase additional titles

• Partnered with Leicester Central Library to ensure long-term community access

• Gave 10 children books to take home during a small event

The Result

15 books might not sound like much. But here's the thing: those 15 books will sit on library shelves for years. They'll be borrowed hundreds of times. Hundreds of moments where a child sees themselves in a story and realises their identity is worth celebrating.

Why This Matters

Black and Mixed Heritage children—especially those in care—often lack access to books that reflect who they are. When the only stories available center white characters and experiences, it sends a message about whose stories matter.

Representation in literature isn't a luxury. It's essential for identity formation, self-worth, and belonging.

What We Learned

This experience taught us valuable lessons for future book initiatives:

• Start fundraising earlier (at least 1 month lead time)

• Build direct relationships with authors in advance

• Research authors and publishers before outreach

• Allow proper time for shipping and coordination

Version 2 will be even better because of what we learned here.

Looking Ahead

Our donation from Penguin Random House for our March and April events builds on this foundation. We're scaling from 15 books to 100 books—reaching 60 children directly and donating extras to libraries.

Small actions lead to bigger impact. We're proud of what we accomplished in February, and we're using those lessons to do even more in the months ahead.