Another Marley looks to change the world

The GrassROOTS Community Foundation, in collaboration with the Book Industry Association of Jamaica (BIAJ), hopes to engage more than 4,000 students across 40 schools in Jamaica through its book bag outreach initiative, which runs from May 2 to 6.

The BIAJ will donate book bags containing diverse books, stationery, and other educational materials.

Last year, the initiative serviced 12 schools.

Marley Dias, founder of #1000BlackGirlBooks, which she started in 2015, spoke to primary-school children about the impact that books have had on her life. Dias has collected more than 13,000 books featuring black female protagonists to empower black youth.

A 2021 ambassador of the National Educational Association (NEA), Dias sought to address deficits at her own school in the United States.

She took matters in her own hands to create an avenue to make a difference.

Since then, Dias has given back to communities and schools across the world in partnership with her Jamaica-born mother from Retreat, St Mary, Dr Janice Johnson Dias, who is the founder of the GrassROOTS Community Foundation.

“Reading has given me the gift of my voice, which is really powerful to what I do, and if I didn’t have this voice, if I didn’t have this story, I couldn’t speak with the sort of confidence that I have,” said the 17-year-old at the US Embassy in Kingston on Thursday.

In a heartfelt moment, Courtney Greaves, a student of Jessie Ripoll Primary School in Kingston, shared a touching story about how books helped her get through a difficult time in her life. Greaves revealed that after her mother had a near-death heart attack, causing Greaves to worry and lose weight, she turned to books like the Bible for comfort.

This, she explained, allowed her to overcome anxiety and restore her mental health.

“Now with my mother out and about, she’s using a wheelchair right now, but I am just thankful to God that she is alive,” said Greaves.

In her remarks, Dr Johnson Dias emphasised her delight at her daughter’s efforts in influencing youth globally. She also encouraged parents to allow their children to find their voice and to facilitate their ambitions.

“We must listen to our young people. We must listen to the words they say and the spaces in between. We must understand that their voice is not our voice, that their way of seeing the world matters,” the mother said.

Johnson Dias added that if she had not listened to Marley, she may have done a great injustice and jeopardised her daughter’s purpose in the world.

Latoya West-Blackwood, director at BIAJ, said that the initiative aims to let children “know that through the pages of books, there is hope”.

“We can’t afford to leave anyone behind,” said West-Blackwood.