Diversity
The 12 x 12 Picture Book Writing Challenge is committed to fostering diversity and inclusion within our community. We recognize that the work authors and illustrators do—writing books for children—is a critical part of creating a more just world. We know that picture books, in particular, are where the youngest readers often meet their first friends, look to see themselves and their families represented, develop an early world view that includes learning about people and cultures other than their own, and find a place to process all the emotions they experience growing up in our complicated world.
In order to ensure all children find themselves in their literature, we must provide a safe, creative space for all writers to find their voices, master their craft, and launch their stories into the world.
In 12 x 12, we work as agents of change by affirming the need for increased representation in every facet of the children’s book industry, including but not limited to race/ethnicity, linguistic & cultural identity, disability, sexual orientation, gender and gender identity and expression, socioeconomic status, caste, geography, citizenship, appearance, veteran status, and religion. More specifically, 12 x 12 is opposed to all forms of white supremacy and discrimination as they impact picture book creators and the children we write for, including but not limited to:
- Ableism
- Ageism
- Antisemitism
- Anti-Palestinianism
- Armenophobia
- Homophobia
- Islamophobia
- Racism
- Sexism
- Transphobia
To fulfill our mission of caring for creators so they may, in turn, create quality books for every young reader in all regions of the world, we are taking the following steps within 12 x 12:
- Working with our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, composed of diverse members of the 12 x 12 Picture Book Writing Challenge. The Committee works to ensure we are serving our diverse 12 x 12 members and to continuously improve our services, outreach, and accessibility.
- Welcoming members of all backgrounds, from across the globe, into the Challenge.
- Providing a safe community and creative space for all authors & illustrators by enforcing our Code of Conduct and Anti-Harassment Policy.
- Conducting outreach to authors and illustrators who are traditionally underrepresented in children’s picture books.
- Awarding annual diversity and financial need scholarships.
- Continuing to provide diversity at 12 x 12 events, with a focus on engaging speakers from underrepresented communities.
- Promoting anti-racism in the 12 x 12 Community, as defined by the National Museum of African American History & Culture as, “becoming actively conscious about race and racism and taking actions to end racial inequities in our daily lives.”
- Promoting anti-bias in the 12 x 12 Community, defined as actively dismantling prejudices against race, gender, sexuality, religion, and more while explicitly challenging stereotyping and discrimination.
- Providing resources for our members on anti-racism, lived experience (a book written by a member of the marginalized community from which it depicts), and diversity in children’s publishing. (anchor link to resources)
- Working to make the content and materials in 12 x 12 as accessible to all members as possible.
- Conducting and sharing an annual survey of the membership, broken down by demographic, to determine the success of our diversity, equity & inclusion initiatives.
- Partnering with other organizations that share our commitment to diversity.
Meet the 12 x 12 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
THE DATA
The lack of true diversity in publishing leads to fewer books featuring diverse characters. This is evidenced by data from the Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC) data, in the following infographic. CCBC has updated the data up to 2022, but they acknowledge that it is likely incomplete due to publishers sending fewer review copies due to the pandemic. The recent numbers, albeit raw, are available at this link.
Resources on Diverse
Children’s Books, Anti-Racism, and Lived Experience
- People of Color in Publishing
- Editors of Color
- Black Creators in Kidlit
- Latinxs in Kidlit
- Asian Author Alliance
- Mombian Database of LGBTQ Family Books
- Disability in Kidlit
- Latinx in Publishing
- Diversity in Kidlit Publishing
- DVPit
- Kidlit Nation
#OwnVoices
- What is #OwnVoices? – School Library Journal
- Who Can Tell My Story? – Jacqueline Woodson
- Our Modern Minstrelsy – Kekla Magoon
- The Wrong Question – Grace Lin
- More Than a Footnote: Challenges for BIPOC Nonfiction Authors – Carole Boston Weatherford
- Cultural Appropriation and the Scarcity Myth – Book Friends Forever Podcast Episode 101
- Why We Need Diverse Books is Longer Using the Term #OwnVoices
- Writing the Other
- Writing Diversely (including Sensitivity Reader directory)
- Conscious Style Guide
- Picture Book Images and Unconscious Bias
- The Radical Copyeditor
- American Library Association Banned Books Advocacy Page
- Unite Against Book Bans
- Save School Librarians
- Freedom to Read Foundation
- National Coalition Against Censorship (Kids’ Right to Read Project
- PEN America
- Template for Writing Legislators
- Florida Freedom to Read Project
- Freedom to Read Georgia
- Template for Speaking at School & Library Boards
- Authors Guild ‘Stop Book Bans’ Toolkit
- Handout on Speaking at School Boards
- Texans for the Right to Read
