Belize Writers Conference

Why We Can’t Wait: D&I in YA

Diversity and Inclusion are more than ideals. Teens need and deserve to see themselves reflected in the books they read. “The adolescent characters and protagonists young people meet in (YA) books help them cope with dilemmas and make sense of their relationships, and their world, by shedding light both on experiences that resonate and experiences that differ from their own,” said R. Joseph Rodriquez, of the National Council of Teachers of English. It’s time to end the cultural mismatch between YA literature and YA readers. The continued failure to do so is everyone’s loss. In this session, two dynamic YA authors will help us understand the challenge and opportunity of YA literature and why we can’t wait for publishing to catch up but must push the industry to commit to real change right now.