Diversity Guest Author Series

Our Diversity Guest Author Series seeks to expose students from Charlotte area schools—both public and independent—to award-winning writers and literary voices. The program serves our mission and brings to life our Affirmation of Community.

Giving students access to a caliber of writers promotes a love of reading and increases literacy. Reading great literature that is relevant to the lives and daily experiences of students helps to build empathy and compassion within them.

Welcoming Literary Giants

Since 2006, every year we invite an award-winning writer or literary voice whose work introduces students to diverse cultural backgrounds. We have proudly welcomed the following literary giants:

Joseph Bruchac
Justina Chen
Lesa Cline-Ransome and James E. Ransome
Jerry Craft
Matt de la Peña
I.W. Gregorio
Nina LaCour
Rajani LaRocca
Sonia Levitin
Kekla Magoon
Guadalupe Garcia McCall
Walter Dean Myers
Charles R. Smith, Jr.
Christina Soontornvat
Nic Stone
Neela Vaswani
Carole Boston and Jeffrey Weatherford
Jessica Whipple
Alicia Williams
Jacqueline Woodson

CMS Partnership

The Diversity Guest Author Series has benefitted over 8,000 Charlotte-Mecklenburg middle and high school students at the following schools:

Berean Junior Academy
Bradley Middle School

Charlotte Preparatory School
Cochrane College Academy
Collinswood Language Academy
E. E. Waddell Language Academy
Francis Bradley Middle School
Independence High School
James Martin Middle School
McClintock Middle School
Military & Global Leadership Academy
Myers Park High School
Northridge Middle School
Oaklawn Language Academy
Olympic High School
Piedmont Middle School
Ranson IB Middle School
Renaissance West
Ridge Road Middle School
Sedgefield Montessori Elementary
Smith Middle School
South Academy of Language
South Charlotte Middle School
South Mecklenburg High School
SouthWest Middle School
Walter G Byers K–8
Wilson Middle School
Windsor Park Elementary