BuxMont UU Dedicated Little Free Diverse Library in Warrington

November 12, 2023, Warrington, PA. BuxMont UU (buxmontuu.org) dedicated it's Little Free Diverse Library (LFDL) today, which is registered with the Little Free Library organization. Concerned with the threat of keeping children from seeing themselves in the pages of critically applauded educational books, BuxMont UU made their voices clear with this LFDL.

BuxMont UU Minister, Reverend Kevin Jagoe has before been outspoken about the efforts to strip our children of the education they deserve. At the dedication he said, "This Little Free Diverse Library is more than a place for people to encounter stories they may not elsewhere. It is a symbol that stories should be free and can be free-ing. This morning, we honor the place of stories in our lives and the particular power they hold when shared with another."

According to the Little Free Library, fewer than 25% of children’s books depict non-white characters. BuxMont UU's Peace and Justice committee Co-Chair, Tracy Bleakney spearheaded the project. "Our library will contain books for children and adults on a variety of topics, but we will give particular preference to diverse books. We believe everyone needs to be able to see themselves in the pages of a book. We aim to share books that include diverse viewpoints on racism, LGBTQ+ and social justice to support a climate of understanding, empathy and inclusion in our community," said Bleakney.

Kate Nazemi Co Founder of Advocates for Inclusive Education applauded BuxMont UU's bravery and commitment to social justice. A mother of two children in the Central Bucks School district, "We stand against censorship of diverse voices in our libraries and in our classrooms," she said.

She emphasized that the steps groups such as BuxMont UU are taking is critical toward supporting the effort toward inclusivity and more. "It helps us fight against restrictions on teachers' freedom of speech and the well-being of our children," said Nazemi.

Bleakney thanked all the contributors from the BuxMont UU community who donated their time to making the LFDL possible: Richard Forney, who built the library, artists Nancy and Gene Taylor who created artwork that adorns the library, Bill Hines and Mike Sherman who installed it along with a reading bench, and so many others such as Co-Chair, Sara Forney who worked closely with Bleakney to make BuxMont UU's Little Free Diverse Library possible. The library is located at the entrance to BuxMont at 2040 Street Rd.