White librarians. Here, let me let you in on a little secret. Want to know how to get white kids to read "diverse" books? The same fucking way you get them to read "white" books! You just give them the fucking book! It's not hard!

The majority of the books I buy for my school library are ownvoices marginalized authors. Probably close to 80% of my ordering. Most of those are BIPOC intersectionalities. My students are majority wealthy and majority white. Do they care the race of the main character? Hell no!

Because I work hard to make it not be an issue. I don't frame A SONG BELOW WATER as a "Black book" that will teach a white kid about police brutality. I say it's about two Black teen girls living in a magical Portland who confront systemic oppression and find their voices.

And guess what! A white teen checked that book out! I've had a white teen and her white father co-read THE BELLES and tell me how much they loved it. I have so many stories like this. It's not hard to rec "diverse" books to white teens or to do it without centering whiteness.

White librarians, *you* are the ones who are teaching white children that "diverse" books are only useful if white feelings are centered, and now you dare to ask how to get white kids to read "diverse" books?