Informed & Inspired A M O N T H LY U P D A T E F O R T H E L I B R A R Y ’ S M O S T AW E S O M E A D V O C AT E S : K I D S !
Name: Ciel Age: 12 Favorite genre: Fiction
june 2025
Why I love reading: I love the ability to learn stories that are different than what I’ve experienced, but in a way that I can understand what other people are going through.
Let’s Celebrate Freedom! In June we celebrate two big holidays: Juneteenth (June 19) and Pride Month. These holidays have different origins, but the spirit of both is rooted in FREEDOM!
Did you know that even though President Lincoln made slavery illegal by issuing the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, many enslavers ignored it? All over the South, enslaved people had no idea they were supposed to be free because no one told them. Juneteenth is a celebration of June 19, 1865 (more than two years later!) when Northern soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, and shared this news. The people who were freed from slavery celebrated with prayer, feasting, song, and dance. Juneteenth is also sometimes called Freedom Day.
Pride Month is a celebration of freedom for members of the LGBTQIA+ community, who have long been harmed by many forms of discrimination, including messages telling them that they should be ashamed of who they are. Our society has become more accepting and our government has provided protections for many LGBTQIA+ people. But many, especially Trans people, are still victims of discrimination. During Pride month, we celebrate everyone’s human rights to love who they love and to live as their authentic selves.