Essential Coversations at the Highlights Foundation
Our goal is to provide spaces both online and in person for children’s literature changemakers and innovators to lead—with the support and resources of the Highlights Foundation.
Children’s Literature is a Change Agent.
When children are centered in the pages of a book, equity is amplified. When children expand their experiences through the pages of a book, access is amplified.
Children’s books that reflect the richness of the human experience through diversity, inclusion, and access are catalysts for change.
Craft
Education
Community-Building
In-Community and Professional Development Opportunities
To amplify the need and call for more diverse, inclusive, and accessible books, the Highlights Foundation developed Essential Conversations programming.
Our goal is to provide online and in-person spaces for children’s literature changemakers and innovators to lead—with resources and support.
Our action comes through craft, education, and community-building for creatives and professionals in and around the children’s book industry.
- In-community opportunities offer reserved and respected spaces for affinity and connected care, growth, and collaboration.
- Professional development opportunities are open to all, to gather and do the work in our children’s book community.
Workshops & Retreats
Since 2016, we’ve held Essential Conversations workshops on our campus in Northeastern Pennsylvania, and online. Here are some examples.
In-Community Experiences:
- Latinx Voices Retreat
- Writing the Rainbow
- Writing About Mental Health
- Amplify Black Stories
- Black Creators Retreat
- Jewish Symposium
- Asian-American Retreat
- Muslim Storytellers Fellowship
- Native Creators’ Retreat
- Writing Stories to Empower Through Trauma: A Workshop in Memory of Rebecca Dykes
Professional Development Experiences:
- Disrupting Youth Literature
- Responsible Representation in Children’s Books
- Writing from the Outside In
- Viewing Children’s Books Through an Intersectional Lens
- Anti-Racist Writing Workshop Training
- Cultural Competency
- Empowering Readers and Reader Choice
Each year, we commit to greater representation in our Essential Conversations programming. We seek collaboration in both the leadership and voice of the programs, and financial commitments to support creatives as they attend and lead this important work.
Please note: Essential Conversations at the Highlights Foundation respond to changing messaging and evolving language. We remain flexible about additional programs and stay open to new conversations that surface in the industry.
Will You Join Us?
Donors, partners, and sponsors help the Highlights Foundation fund our Essential Conversations programming, and bring access to more children’s authors and illustrators across the globe.
Support Essential Conversations at the Highlights Foundation Via a Donation
Support Select Essential Conversations at the Highlights Foundation Via Program Sponsorship
Flagship Program Sponsorship
- Funds One Full Year of a program (cost varies by program type and size)
- Flagship Program Sponsor Recognition by the Highlights Foundation
- Sponsorship of One Episode of the Highlights Foundation Podcast
- Sponsorship of One #HFGATHER Webinar
- Sponsorship of One Downloadable Resource for the Highlights Foundation Community
Support
- Funds One Participant for an in-person event (or equivalent online seats)
- Sponsor Recognition by the Highlights Foundation
- Additional Participants Available at $1,500 each
- Sponsorship of One Episode of the Highlights Foundation Gather Podcast
- Sponsorship of One #HFGATHER Webinar
- Sponsorship of One Downloadable Resource for the Highlights Foundation Community
Serve
- Funds Three Participants for an in-person event (or equivalent online seats)
- Sponsor Recognition by the Highlights Foundation
- Additional Participants Available at $1,500 each
- Sponsorship of One Episode of the Highlights Foundation Gather Podcast
- Sponsorship of One #HFGATHER Webinar
- Sponsorship of One Downloadable Resource for the Highlights Foundation Community
Strengthen
- Funds Five Participants for an in-person event (or equivalent online seats)
- Sponsor Recognition by the Highlights Foundation
- Additional Participants Available at $1,500 each
- Sponsorship of One Episode of the Highlights Foundation Gather Podcast
- Sponsorship of One #HFGATHER Webinar
- Sponsorship of One Downloadable Resource for the Highlights Foundation Community
Sustain
- Funds 15 Participants for an in-person event (or equivalent online seats)
- Sponsor Recognition by the Highlights Foundation
- Additional Participants Available at $1,500 each
- Sponsorship of One Episode of the Highlights Foundation Gather Podcast
- Sponsorship of One #HFGATHER Webinar
- Sponsorship of One Downloadable Resource for the Highlights Foundation Community
