MOUNT STERLING, Ky. — In many of Kentucky’s smaller towns, finding books that resonate with young people from the LGBTQ+ community can be a challenge. But a former teacher is helping to create a space for inclusive works in Mount Sterling.
The Rainbow Freedom Library features works from LGBTQ+ authors and characters. It is the brainchild of a group of Montgomery County students who wanted to make these kinds of books easily accessible for others.
Willie Carver was their teacher when the students came up with the idea. Carver was named the 2022 Kentucky Teacher of the Year before leaving Montgomery County School after facing discrimination for his sexuality.
“This represents the voices of people who were not allowed to speak when they were younger, and this represents the hope of young people who want someday to be able to speak, who want to speak now,” Carver explained.
Carver adds those students where part of an LGBTQ+ club at their high school, and secured a grant worth thousands of dollars to purchase books. Initially, Carver says they offered to give the books to the school library, but were turned down.
Eventually, the Gateway Regional Art Center became the collection’s permanent home.
At least once a week, sixth-grader Sam Jones regularly visits the center, which is just a short walk from his home. He explores the library’s collection and usually checks out at least one book from the Rainbow Freedom Library once a week.
“This would be the Rainbow Rowell,” Jones said as he pulled a young adult novel off the shelf.
Jones adds he’s happy that this resource is in his town.
“There are books that you can’t really come across very often. If I go to the library, the actual library, I’m not really going to find any books of this kind,” Jones explained. “Right now, this is the only Rainbow Library that we have, and that just makes this one a lot more special as well. The people can come here and read books that really just help them.”
Carver is now asking for donations to expand the Rainbow Library. The plan is to grow the collection to include books for younger audiences and titles representing other marginalized groups.
“We want to make sure that we find those books that otherwise people are going to politicize and people are going to take away,” Carver said.
Jones would love to see more Rainbow Libraries established across Kentucky. “That would most definitely make my heart flutter,” Jones shared.
Proof that this project is about much more than a stack of books.
“Absolutely more,” Carver affirms.
A study from The Trevor Project, an organization dedicated to ending suicide among LGBTQ+ youth, found that young people with access to LGBTQ+-affirming spaces are 35% less likely to attempt suicide.