Black Kids Read: Call to Action for Youth Literacy and Access to Books
Recently I was alerted to an attempt at organizing a boycott of Black Entertainment Television (BET). I don’t understand the reason for such a focus, as I believe the resources of human energy and time would be much better utilized focusing on doing something positive for the youth and the Black community vs. blaming, finger pointing and railing against a television channel. After all, if you believe the programming on BET is malicious or unsavory, all one has to do to exercise choice is turn to another channel, or turn your television off altogether!
After thinking about the issue for a few minutes, I came up with an alternative for the BET boycotters that I think is great! Black folks that want to organize something, organize for BLACK KIDS READ.
Let me outline the basics of the program.
My thought is that the organizers of BLACK KIDS READ create a book distribution program in the projects and low income areas of cities with a large Black population. Collect used books people don’t want anymore, separate them by genre, load them in a truck or two, drive to the hood, and give each person that gets in the line 3 books. The children and young adults get to keep them. 
Each month the truck comes back and gives out more books. Books on how to build things, romance novels, teen books, picture books, mystical stories like Harry Potter, science fiction, computer technology, programming, science and space, fish and the ocean, how to draw, how to paint your house, how to COOK, how to sew, manners and etiquette. Books on other cultures, other religions, other races, other countries. Books on social science, camping, box gardening and meal planning. Bedtime story books, and books that make you laugh!
I think some established grass roots community based organizations and churches that approached Borders right about now could get some books for this program and get things rolling within the week. Volunteers could use their trucks for now and write it off on their taxes. Corporations can donate gas money and maybe even trucks for the program. Girl and Boy Scout Troops and school groups in the suburbs can sort the books as part of their community service work.
This can be done. It can be powerful. It can be wonderful!
Poor children whose parents could not afford to buy books can have them. Black children in inner cities can have books where their neighborhoods don’t have libraries anymore due to budget cuts. Kids can have books to expand their minds, encourage their creativity and improve their reading skills and ultimately their grades and lives.
Reading is fundamental to success – watching television and playing video games are not. Black Americans reportedly watch more television than any other racial demographic, and have one of the highest dropout rates and rates of poverty as well. We can start changing that today!
BET protesters, get on board to promote the program I hereby dub BLACK KIDS READ! I believe this would be a huge step in the right direction to stem the tide of poor reading skills and lack of knowledge about other cultures, literature, and creative endeavors in the Black community. Give our kids a vision of what they can be… greater. What the mind can conceive, you can achieve! Books help take you there.
Look around… those small faces you see are our future. We need to prepare them for what may come in every way possible. Reading skills help with writing, comprehension of both written and verbal language, in school, in employment and in life. Children that do not read well have a difficult road ahead. BLACK KIDS READ can help prevent that.
What do you think?
Deborrah
Veteran social researcher, relationship advice columnist, author and radio host. Author of hundreds of articles on American and black culture, gender issues, singles, dating and relationships. Author of "Sucka Free Love!" , "The 24 Types of Suckas to Avoid," "The Black Church - Where Women Pray and Men Pray," and "Why Vegan is the New Black" all available on Amazon.Com. Her unique voice and insightful commentary have delighted fans and riled haters for 20 years. Read her stuff on SurvivingDating.Com and AskHeartBeat.Com.
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Category: Society and Culture
