Challenge Corner discussion

Diversity Awareness Month Read-a-thon!

Celebrate Diversity Month came to be in 2004 following a campaign led by two American diversity consulting firms, ProGroup Inc. and Diversity Best Practices. The goal of the celebrations is to address the growing multiculturalism taking place in global societies as a way to further understand and handle it sensibly. It highlights the urgency of understanding other cultures to ensure a better world.

Diversity is crucial in assuring that we can understand each other in deeper ways that help keep us humble and open to the fact that the world does not only revolve around our beliefs. It can help develop us into better people, as it increases our understanding of human nature. The importance of diversity itself can benefit us in all aspects of our lives.

In 2025, Diversity Awareness Month will continue to recognize and honor the diversity of the world around us, focusing on understanding differences in gender, race, ethnicity, faith, sexual orientation, and more.

For this read-a-thon, we are going to have some diversity-related prompts to complete. This will start on April 20th (starting at midnight in your time zone) and end on April 30th (ending at midnight in your time zone). The goal is to finish as many of the prompts below as possible! Each prompt is repeatable. Any book that you finish between April 20th and April 30th is eligible to count, including graphic novels and comics.

Please only post books once they have been FINISHED.

What you need to do in order to participate:
Step 1 - Sign up on this thread!
Step 2 - Post your progress each day!
Step 3 - Have fun and read lots of good books!

How to post:
Every time you finish a book, make a completion post like this:

Completion Post:

Intersectionality:
*MC identifies with more than one marginalized identity

Anyone is welcome to join!

Prompts:
Culture & Heritage
*Indigenous author
*Set in a country you’ve never visited
*Translated from another language
*Celebrates festivals, holidays, or sacred days from a different culture.
*MPG Historical Fiction
*Features a multilingual character
*MPG Folklore
*Features a tight-knit community
*MPG Mythology

Race & Identity:
*Black author
*Latinx author
*Asian author
*Tagged ‘Racism’ at least 10 times
*Tagged ‘Civil Rights’ at least 10 times
*MPG Memoir
*Features immigration
*Challenges racial stereotypes or tropes
*Features diaspora

LGBTQIA2S+ Voices:
*LGBTQIA2S+ author
*Queer MC
*Trans MC
*Bisexual MC
*Gay MC
*Lesbian MC
*Nonbinary MC
*Asexual MC
*Two Spirits MC

Disability & Neurodiversity:
*Neurodivergent MC
*Disabled MC
*Features ableism
*Challenge stereotypes about disability
*Features an invisible disability
*Character experiences chronic pain
*Addresses accessibility, advocacy, or inclusion
*MC uses non-verbal communication
*Neurodivergent author

Intersectionality:
*Author identifies with more than one marginalized identity (ex: queer and disabled)
*MC identifies with more than one marginalized identity (ex: queer and disabled)
*Features intersectional feminism
*Tagged ‘Dystopia’ at least 10 times
*Features sexism
*MPG Nonfiction
*Explores gender and racial identity
*MC deals with oppression
*Features homophobia

Participants:
Ellen-Arwen
Alaina
Shan ~A~
Dr. Andy
Debbie M
Anshika

100% in, thanks for this Alaina <3

Yay! I'm very excited for this one and to find all kinds of books! If anyone has any recommendations please add :)

Alaina wrote: "Yay! I'm very excited for this one and to find all kinds of books! If anyone has any recommendations please add :)"

I will come up with some recs, but I'm procrastinating writing atm ;) And it's only ten days! How will I be able to fit all these in?? I think this should be loooonger... ? ;)

Here are some links:

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/4...
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/3...
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...

I'm in. Thanks!

I'm thinking of reading some of these - does anyone fancy buddying during the readathon? (They're from my TBR toppler lol).

Latinx/Black author
Black author/asexual MC
Translated from another language/MPG tag 'queer'
Translated from another language, MPG 'queer' and 'LGBT'
Indigenous author
invisible disability
BPD/invisible disability, addresses inclusivity
queer MC (I think)
Trans MC/author

I've got more, here's a selection we could maybe read together? I really do have more hehe

Shan ~A~ wrote: "I'm in. Thanks!"

Woohoo!

Ellen-Arwen wrote: "I'm thinking of reading some of these - does anyone fancy buddying during the readathon? (They're from my TBR toppler lol).

Latinx/Black author
[bookcover:Let's Tal..."

I'll have to see what I can find and get back to you!

Oh this is great! I might try to join.

I'm super excited to join, please count me in
Thanks.📚

Dr. Andy wrote: "Oh this is great! I might try to join."

So lovely to see you Andy! <3

I'm in

Dr. Andy wrote: "Oh this is great! I might try to join."

OMG HIIIIIII!

Debbie M wrote: "I'm super excited to join, please count me in
Thanks.📚"

Yay!!

Anshika wrote: "I'm in"

Let's goooo!

Ellen-Arwen wrote: "I'm thinking of reading some of these - does anyone fancy buddying during the readathon? (They're from my TBR toppler lol)...."

Okay, I was finally able to look to see what books I haven't read yet and could get from the library. I can read the following with you:



What days work best for you?

Alaina wrote: "Ellen-Arwen wrote: "I'm thinking of reading some of these - does anyone fancy buddying during the readathon? (They're from my TBR toppler lol)...."

Okay, I was finally able to look to see what boo..."

AWESOME!! Well, let's do Welcome to St. Hell: My Trans Teen Misadventure on the 20th, should be done in a day, right?

Then, The Heart of the Circle will be a bit longer (for me at least!), so let's say start on Friday 25th? I'm sorry - just realised I have the BUSIEST WEEK EVER this week *cries* Not sure how much time I'll have for serious reading during the week :(

If those are okay for you, can you request threads? Yay!

Ellen-Arwen wrote: "Alaina wrote: "Ellen-Arwen wrote: "I'm thinking of reading some of these - does anyone fancy buddying during the readathon? (They're from my TBR toppler lol)...."

Okay, I was finally able to look ..."

Here they are"
, 4/25
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
, 4/20
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Alaina wrote: "Ellen-Arwen wrote: "Alaina wrote: "Ellen-Arwen wrote: "I'm thinking of reading some of these - does anyone fancy buddying during the readathon? (They're from my TBR toppler lol)...."

Okay, I was f..."

Epic! :D if you have any that you want/plan to read, then post them here for buddying if you like? Let's get as much reading as possible!

Completion Post



*Trans MC/Trans author
*MPG memoir

Completion Post

Finished: 04/20

Race & Identity: *Black author

Completion Post:

LGBTQIA2S+ Voices: *LGBTQIA2S+ author

Completion Post:

LGBTQIA2S+ Voices: *Queer MC

I'm starting with this graphic novel, have you guys read it?
PYONGYANG by Guy Delisle

Completion Post:

LGBTQIA2S+ Voices: *LGBTQIA2S+ author & *Trans MC

Debbie M wrote: "I'm starting with this graphic novel, have you guys read it?
PYONGYANG by Guy Delisle"

I have not, is it good?

Alaina wrote: "Dr. Andy wrote: "Oh this is great! I might try to join."

OMG HIIIIIII!"

ahahaha hello. I am not dead.

Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea by Guy Delisle https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8...

Set in a country I've never visited (and never will).

Debbie M wrote: "Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea by Guy Delisle https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8...

Set in a country I've never visited (and never will)."

I'll see if my library has it!

Completion Post:

Culture & Heritage: *MPG Historical Fiction

Completion post:

Culture & Heritage: *Set in a country I've never visited (Chile)
*Translated from another language (Spanish)
*Features a bilingual character
*MPG Historical Fiction
Intersectionality: *Explores gender and racial identity

Completion Post

Finished: 04/22

LGBTQIA2S+ Voices: Bisexual MC

Guy Delisle's PYONGYANG is a graphic novel written after his two month stay in North Korea. He was there as an artist working with the North Koreans on an animated cartoon. This short 175 page graphic novel gives a glimpse of what life in North Korea is really like. I found the story interesting, especially when he talked about the other expats who stayed there.

Alaina, does mental health count as an invisible disability? It's something that's quite a big part of discourse in the UK at the moment, so I was wondering whether it counted for the purposes of the readathon...?

Ellen-Arwen wrote: "Alaina, does mental health count as an invisible disability? It's something that's quite a big part of discourse in the UK at the moment, so I was wondering whether it counted for the purposes of t..."

Yes, I would consider mental health part of invisible disability.

Completion Post:

LGBTQIA2S+ Voices: *Lesbian MC

I'm starting RING SHOUT by P. Djeli Clark.
Black Author
Tagged ‘Racism’ at least 10 times

Completion Post:

LGBTQIA2S+ Voices: *Bisexual MC

Completion Post:

Culture & Heritage: *MPG Historical Fiction

Completion Post:

LGBTQIA2S+ Voices: *Gay MC
Intersectionality: *Features homophobia

Completion Post

Finished: 04/23

LGBTQIA2S+ Voices:
*Queer MC
*Bisexual MC



Finished: 04/23

Culture & Heritage
*Set in a country you’ve never visited
*Translated from another language
*MPG Historical Fiction


Finished: 04/24

Culture & Heritage
*MPG Historical Fiction
Race & Identity:
*Black author
*Tagged ‘Racism’ at least 10 times
*Tagged ‘Civil Rights’ at least 10 times
Intersectionality:
*Features sexism
*MC deals with oppression

Completion Post:

Culture & Heritage: *Translated from another language

Completion Post

Disability & Neurodiversity: *Invisible disability (view spoiler)[cPTSD (hide spoiler)]

Completion Post:

Disability & Neurodiversity: *Disabled MC

Completion Post:

RING SHOUT by P. Djeli Clark.
Black Author
Tagged ‘Racism’ at least 10 times

Completion Post

Culture & Heritage: *translated from another language
*set in a country I've never visited
*bilingual characters
*features tight-knit community

LGBTQIA2S+ Voices: *Queer MC

Completion Post


Culture & Heritage
*Indigenous author

Intersectionality:
*MPG Non-Fiction