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Author Thuba Nguyen reads to children at the Child Development Center
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A new library at the Wilder Child Development Center helps kids love reading with books that reflect their cultural backgrounds

3/1/23
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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!'"

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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!

Bookshelves at the R.A.W. Library at the Wilder Child Development Center
Woman sitting on a chair reading to children
Dr. Artika Tyner reads a book she wrote to kids in the R.A.W. Library at the Wilder Child Development Center
Picture of the book "Justice Makes a Difference," by Artika Tyner and Jacklyn Milton
"Justice Makes a Difference" is available for Child Development Center students through the R.A.W. Library
Five women posing together in the RAW Library at the Wilder Child Development Center
L-R Dr. Artika Tyner; Angela Clair and Chelsey Long of the Child Development Center, Angela Moore-Smith of the African American Babies Coalition and Doneylla Smith of the Wilder Child Development Center
Small children watch as author Thuba Nguyen reads her book in the R.A.W. Library at the Wilder Child Development Center
Author Thuba Nguyen reads to children at the R.A.W. Library inside the Child Development Center.
Picture of "My Daddy Tells Me" a children's book by Thuba Nguyen
The R.A.W. Library has "My Daddy Tells Me" and other books with BIPOC authors
Three women pose together
(L-R) Keisha Mitchell of African American Babies Coalition and Projects, author Thuba Nguyen, and Angela Moore-Smith of African American Babies Coalition