Milwaukee-based positive news company Carvd N Stone is currently holding a book drive in preparation for a book fair later this summer.
The 2026 Authors of Color Book Fair looks to increase access to literacy in the community. Carvd N Stone previously did a book drive in 2019 with community partners, but now looks to bring the effort back as the company has further established itself. The focus of books is on authors of color for all ages, from children to the elderly.
“A lot of times when people do give away books, you can hardly find representation,” said Nyesha Stone, Carvd N Stone’s founder. “When you Google ‘Milwaukee,’ you don’t really see that. There’s people of color that live here… so why not represent that?”
Representation in the books is a key focus for the drive. Carvd N Stone has a page set up for donations of over 300 books through Amazon. All books from Black authors, Latinos, Asians, Indians, Native Americans, Nigerians and many more from the catalog.
Past representation, Stone wants to help address the literacy challenges in Milwaukee. In Wisconsin, an estimated 1 in 7 adults struggles with low literacy, according to Wisconsin Literacy.
In Milwaukee County, nearly 25% of people are at or below the lowest literacy level, according to statistics from the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. The data shows that Milwaukee rates the highest for adults who struggle with literacy; the second highest is Clark County.
As an avid reader and as someone who operates a news company, increasing opportunities to read is pivotal.
“Some people can be scared to say, ‘Hey, I don’t know how to read,’ or maybe, ‘I can’t afford a book,’” Stone said. “We want to provide an opportunity for people to just come get books that they may have thought about, or maybe even not thought about reading, but they might see the horses [and say], ‘Let’s see what this is about.’”
The book fair is a family-friendly event featuring a DJ and horse rides in addition to the books.
The book drive is currently open through June 30. Books sought for the fair can be found via its registry and will be directly shipped to Carvd N Stone or donations can be directed by emailing [email protected].
The book fair will be held Sunday, July 19, 1-4 p.m., at McGovern Park, 5400 N. 51st Blvd., in Milwaukee.
The event is free to attend, and books will be given out completely for free. Registration is not required, but it is requested.
