The R.A.W. Library, open to students and families enrolled at the center, opened last fall to promote early reading and family bonding with a curated selection of children’s books with BIPOC authors.
“This library has definitely instilled the love of reading and then not just that, the love of self,” Shamara Butler, mother of 3-year-old Noah, told WCCO News. “When I see a lot of the books that are African American children, I’m like ‘Wow this is you, this is me!'”
Families are welcome to check out books with their children. Kids also come to the library during the school day to hear books read by local authors, including:
- Dr. Artika Tyner, an educator, author, and advocate for justice.
- Thuba Nguyen, an author, early childhood education expert and participant Wilder’s Community Equity Program.
“I hope that the R.A.W Library can be an invitation to parents to remember one thing for sure that they are their child’s first educator,” Dr. Tyner told KARE11 news. “And the R.A.W. Library’s about giving them the tools to support them in that role.”
Thanks to the Wilder African American Babies Coalition and Projects, the Saint Paul Promise Neighborhood and Planting People, Growing Justice for bringing the library to the Child Development Center!
