On Friday, February 5, 2016, the National Book Foundation will launch BookUp LGBTQ, a site for LGBTQ teens at the Hetrick-Martin Institute. Taught by poet and Cave Canem fellow t’ai freedom ford, the site will provide books and activities tailored to young LGBTQ readers. BookUp LGBTQ’s students will have access to a booklist curated by influential LGBTQ authors, including Naomi Jackson, Garth Greenwell, Megan Kruse, and more. Activities include field trips to the New York Public Library’s Gay and Lesbian Collections, queer bookstores, and other historic and literary sites throughout the five boroughs.
BookUp LGBTQ will be run in partnership with Lambda Literary, the oldest literary organization championing the works of LGBTQ writers, and recipient of an honorable mention for the National Book Foundation’s Innovations in Reading Prize last year. “I am very excited about the partnership between HMI and the National Book Foundation,” Juan Williams, HMI’s director of academic enrichment, said in a release. “I believe that this opportunity will empower our readers and budding writers to build on their strengths and flourish in their communities.”
