The Colorado Education Association (CEA) Human & Civil Rights Department marked Hispanic Heritage Month by organizing a book bundle giveaway for educators. The initiative aimed to increase the presence of diverse stories in classrooms and support students in seeing themselves represented in literature.
According to the CEA, the giveaway allowed members to obtain books that highlight Hispanic and Latino cultures, voices, and histories. “Every student deserves to see themselves reflected in the stories they read. This Hispanic Heritage Month, we celebrated the rich cultures, voices, and histories of Hispanic and Latino communities by giving educators the chance to bring more diverse books into their classrooms. Sponsored by the CEA Human & Civil Rights Department, the book bundle giveaway provided members the opportunity to add powerful titles to their classrooms, and inspire the next generation of readers and leaders,” stated the organization.
This year’s winners of the book bundles are Syntya Guzman from Aurora Education Association, Dana Kruse from Fountain-Fort Carson Education Association, Bernadette Barela from Centennial Education Association, and Lyanne Terada from District 12 Educators Association.
The CEA also recommended several books for classroom use. Titles include “Latinitas: Celebrating 40 Big Dreamers” by Juliet Menéndez; “Merci Suárez Changes Gears” by Meg Medina; “Esperanza Rising” by Pam Muñoz Ryan; “I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter” by Erika L. Sánchez; “With the Fire on High” by Elizabeth Acevedo; “The House on Mango Street” by Sandra Cisneros; “100 Hispanic-Americans Who Shaped American History” by Rick Laezman; “Separate Is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and Her Family’s Fight for Desegregation” by Duncan Tonatiuh; “El dÃa en que descubres quién eres (The Day You Begin)” by Jacqueline Woodson; “Green Is a Chile Pepper: A Book of Colors” by Roseanne Thong and John Parra; “Spanish is My Superpower” by Jennifer Jones; “Where Are You From?” by Yamile Saied Méndez and Jaime Kim; and “Latin Americans in History: 15 Inspiring Latinas and Latinos You Should Know” by Monica Olivera.
The initiative reflects ongoing efforts within educational organizations to promote inclusivity through curriculum resources.
