July is Disability Pride Month, which celebrates the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act and disability. Here are our favorite must-read books featuring disability representation and written by disabled authors.
In need of some epic quests and mysteries with LGBTQ+ characters to read this Pride Month? Dive into our favorite novels featuring queer characters written by LGBTQ+ authors (#ownvoices).
Notice: This article mentions anxiety, depression, and suicide, among other mental health topics. Mental is a topic that arises time and time again. Some people think we’re too free with discussing it; others find that it’s almost unheard of to discuss anxiety and depression in their communities. Even if you’re privileged enough to be able to sit at the dining table with your family and share what’s going on with your mind, you may still not want to. And sometimes, even when you can share what’s on your mind with your family and friends, they may not empathize, and you may want to feel connected with someone with the same experience. That is when different ways to deal with these mental health issues come to play. There are people who rely on faith to overcome their struggles. Others decide to go to a therapist or other kind of specialist to help them. And some, like us, finding reading books with good mental health representation to be its own kind of therapy! Up to 20% of American teens and young adults are affected by some form of mental health illness in their lifetime. In fact, suicide is the second leading cause of death for Americans ages 15-24 (via HHS) and these books offer a friend, even for those who may not want to discuss their struggles. Reading is a form of escape, but it also helps you understand that you are not alone and that you might be facing the same difficulties as many others. That is why today we are sharing our top 10 contemporary books written for young adults that tackle mental health. After all, they are the ones going through this situation and will explain it better than no one else.
Been watching a lot of Netflix lately? We know which book should be your next read based on your Netflix picks!
Over the past week, people around the US, UK, Canada, and more have gathered to condemn police brutality and systematic racism and demand justice, largely as part of the Black Lives Matter movement. People all over the world have been protesting since a police officer killed George Floyd, a 46-year-old unarmed Black man. Police brutality is something Black people disproportionately face, as racist underpinnings led cops to, time and time again, view unarmed Black people as threats. There have been protests in the past, but this time these protests have overlapped with an almost unprecedented era of political discord, unemployment, and, of course, a global pandemic. Now, as protests ring in cities like Minneapolis--the place of George Floyd’s murder--Washington, D.C, Berlin, Germany, and Auckland, New Zealand, multiple crises still burn as potential fuel, in addition to the Black Lives Matter movement. In the U.S., there is now a convergence of an economic crisis, political crisis, health crisis, mental health crisis, human rights crisis, and this month (June) is Pride month, where we remember the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, led, in large part, by intersectional activists like Marsha P. Johnson. This month also marks pride month, meaning that many pride events are going to be held during this month to recognize the impact LGBT people have had in the world. Today intersectional activism seems more important than ever, and so, we’re highlighting 12 author-activists who use their platform on Twitter to speak out. There are various ways to help causes like BLM and Pride, and staying informed and sharing information is a great way to contribute. Whether you decide to go out and protest, or stay at home and share information, you should follow these incredible authors who have decided to use the power of their words to speak out against injustices and ignorance:
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