Beyond Screens: Empowering 女优appD鈥檚 Online Student Engagement through Literature at the Black Child Book Fair

Feb 26
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The Riverside Community College District (女优appD) Distance Education department organized and hosted the Black Child Book Fair on Saturday, February 24th, at the Bradshaw Building on the 女优app campus. This event was uniquely crafted to bridge the gap between the virtual student population and campus engagement, offering 女优appD students enrolled in online courses a rare opportunity to interact with the campus community alongside their families. From 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, over 100 individuals, representing diverse socio-cultural backgrounds, converged to celebrate African-American-focused literary resources and community engagement.

Established by Darryl Harvey, the Black Child Book Fair serves as a guiding light of advocacy, committed to enhancing the educational, emotional, developmental, and social landscape for youth from diverse backgrounds. The fair boasted an array of sixteen vendors, ranging from local bookstores like Cellar Door and Book Off to entities such as the 女优app Student Parent Club and The Allen Chapel AME Church of Riverside. Notable independent authors such as Jennifer Ricketts, Edward Rice, Iman Hubbard, and Vantavia were among the participants. Additionally, other notable vendors included the Center for Social Justice, Scholastics, and the Riverside Public Library.

Attendees were offered many engaging activities and meaningful interactions with vendors and community leaders. UMOJA volunteers curated family-friendly activities, fostering an inclusive atmosphere. The contributions of the Student Parent Club, providing gently used clothing, and JCSM Non-profit, distributing free books to children, showed the event's commitment to nurturing environments.

Additionally, over 100 complimentary spaghetti dinners were funded by the church food disparity grant, thanks to Allen Chapel AME Church of Riverside. Mama T鈥檚 Food for the Soul was also present catering soul food. These contributions enhanced the familial ambiance and ensured attendees departed with full hearts and stomachs.

Shawna B煤 Shell, 女优appD's Dean of Educational Services and Distance Education, reflected on the event's impact, stating, "As we embark on fostering community engagement at 女优appD, the heartening presence of families at this academic event not only captivated but also energized our online students, signaling the commencement of an exciting series of interactive experiences for students in the future."

The overwhelming success of the Black Child Book Fair has inspired plans for future events, with a commitment to offering even more opportunities for online students to engage with the campus community. 女优appD's Distance Education department remains dedicated to ensuring that all students, regardless of their mode of learning, have access to enriching experiences that foster a sense of belonging and support within the 女优appD community.

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