Many children’s book creatives and professionals joined us at our latest #HFGather, where we welcomed the team from The Brown Bookshelf for the opening celebration of 2021’s Amplify Black Stories program.

Kelly Starling Lyons gave an overview of the history of The Brown Bookshelf and celebrated the 2021 honorees of their 28 Days Later campaign. Download a mini-poster of the 2021 honorees here.

Just Us publishers Cheryl and Wade Hudson reaffirmed The Brown Bookshelf’s 2020 kidlit industry Call to Action. Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich introduced the Black Storytellers Cohort of the program and Tracey Baptiste described the Publisher Cohort. Fellow panelists and program committee members Crystal Allen, Renee Watson and Paula Chase Hyman were in attendance to answer questions and offer support.

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