Ithaca College students and alumni invite families, children and all members of our community to join them for a virtual reading of books including "When Aiden Became a Brother" and "My Rainbow." Our reading is part of the 6th annual Jazz & Friends National Day of School and Community Readings event to promote more inclusive educational environments for transgender and non-binary youth. Parents, caregivers, educators, students and community members across the country will join together on this day to support and affirm our youth by hosting readings.
Who: Families, educators, allies, community members—all are welcome!
What: Jazz & Friends readings bring together thousands of people in schools and communities in support of transgender and non-binary youth
When: Thursday, February 25, 2021 at 4 pm EST
Where: Register for this virtual event using this link
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
This event is for children and families, and we also welcome college students, staff and faculty, and everyone who works with or cares about children to join us. Resources and conversation about ways books such as these can be used by students going into teaching, coaching, counseling, health, parent education, and other fields, will also be shared.
Books can act as both mirrors and windows for children to see representations of themselves, as well as to see another outlook on the world. When students read books in which they see characters like themselves who are valued in the world, they feel a sense of belonging. When students have the opportunity to learn about diverse backgrounds, languages, abilities and perspectives, they develop an understanding about the wider world.
About the history of this nationwide event: after a national anti-LGBTQ hate group bullied a young transgender girl in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin, her community rallied behind her by hosting a community reading of "I Am Jazz" by transgender advocate Jazz Jennings. Every year in honor of the Mount Horeb community’s allyship, communities across the country participate in the Jazz & Friends National Day of School and Community Readings in support of transgender and non-binary youth. The program is sponsored by the Welcoming Schools Program at the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the National Educational Association (NEA), and The American Association of School Librarians.