Events and Appearances

*Scroll down to see information and link to submit a 2024 proposal!

2023 National Ambassador Appearances

Washington, DC – January 23
Inauguration Ceremony at the Library of Congress. Watch the Inauguration event.

Virtual Event – May 15
Fairview Elementary in Lake Charles, LA

Newburgh, NY – June 13 & 14
Public event at the Newburgh Free Library, 6pm on June 13
School event with Horizons-on-the-Hudson Magnet School​ and Balmville Elementary School
See highlights from Meg’s visit and her exploration of the public library.

Lake Charles, LA – July 18
Public event at Calcasieu Parish Public Library, 6pm on July 18
See highlights from Meg’s visit.

Washington, DC – August 12
National Book Festival

Nashville, TN – September 12
School event with J.E.Moss, Westmeade, and Mt. View Elementary schools
Public event at Nashville Public Library, 6pm on September 12. See highlights from Meg’s visit and her exploration of the city.

Kent, WA – November 13 & 14
School event with Mill Creek Middle School
Public event at Kent Library, 6pm on November 14

Nampa, ID – November 14 & 15
Public event at Nampa Public Library, 6pm on November 16
School event with Sage Valley Middle School

Information on Proposal Submissions

THE 2024 PROPOSAL WINDOW IS CURRENTLY OPEN. IT WILL CLOSE ON OCTOBER 5. READ ON FOR DETAILS AND THE LINK TO SUBMIT.

Official Visit Components

Each official visit will follow a format that allows Meg to interact directly with students as well as the community at large.

Each official visit must support these key components:

• One (1) daytime school visit with students at a local school or summer program (specific age range must be selected)
• One (1) evening public visit at a local library (with the option of book sales and signing)
• A private tour of the public library for Meg Medina. The tour will yield a short video featuring Medina that highlights a space/program in the library that is useful for kids and families (makerspace, special collections items, summer reading program, etc.)

Important Information

• Proposals featuring public events at local libraries will be prioritized, but community sites (recreation/youth centers, bookstores, etc.) may also be considered.
• Some official National Ambassador events may take place in May-July, so please consider your annual calendar and/or any programs you host during the summer, e.g., required summer school, tailored in-school camps, summer reading programs, etc.
• Please complete the form to the best of your ability with the information you have now. We will work with selected locations to finalize all details and personalize/modify the public-facing programming.
• Proposals collected in spring 2023 will be considered for 2023 events only. You must re-submit to be considered for 2024 visits.
• Travel expenses for official National Ambassador events are covered by Every Child a Reader and the Library of Congress. Books will be provided for every student at Medina’s school event. Event locations will need to provide appropriate security. We will work with each location regarding logistics, security, and possible book sales at the public event.

Proposal Checklist

The online submission form includes five sections:
– General Information
– Public Evening Event Information
– Private Daytime Student Event Information
– Event Promotion Information
– Helpful Travel Information

Each proposal must include a private event and a public event. We ask that all participating organizations coordinate to submit a single, unified proposal.

To successfully submit, gather all information before completing the online form. Use this proposal checklist to see the order of the required information.

About Meg Medina and her National Ambassador Platform

Medina, a Cuban-American, is the first author of Latina heritage to serve as National Ambassador in the program’s history. She succeeds Jason Reynolds, who served as the National Ambassador from 2020 through 2022.

Medina’s books examine how culture and identity intersect through the eyes of young people. Her middle-grade novel “Merci Suárez Changes Gears,” the first of three books in a trilogy about the Suárez family, received the 2019 Newbery Medal and was named a notable children’s book of the year by the New York Times Book Review. Her most recent picture book, “Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away,” received multiple honors, including the 2021-2022 Charlotte Zolotow Award. Raised in Queens, New York, Medina now lives with her family in Richmond, Virginia.

For her two-year term as National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, Medina will engage readers across the country through her platform Cuéntame!: Let’s Talk Books. Inspired by the Spanish phrase that friends and families use when catching up with one another, “¡Cuéntame!” encourages connection among families, classrooms, libraries, and communities by talking about books—both those books that reflect the readers’ lived experiences and those books that expose readers to new perspectives.

Read More.

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