Selina Brown Named UK's First National Reading Hero by Queen
Selina Brown from Birmingham became the UK's first National Reading Hero, receiving the honor from the Queen. Brown founded a book festival celebrating Black British stories after putting her own savings into the project as a single mother of three.
Selina Brown from Birmingham has been named the UK's first National Reading Hero by the Queen. The honor recognizes her work promoting reading and literacy in communities across Britain.
Brown founded a book festival that celebrates Black British stories and authors. She started the festival by putting her own savings into the project while raising three children as a single mother.
"As a single mother of three, I put my own savings into a dream that Black British stories deserved a world-class stage," Brown said. She added that being named the first National Reading Hero "is beyond anything I imagined when I started."
Brown says books shaped her life from an early age. "As a young black girl growing up in Britain, I found possibility in stories long before I saw it in the world around me," she told the BBC. "Books changed my life before I ever changed anyone else's."
The National Reading Hero award is part of efforts to encourage more people to read and support literacy programs in their communities.
This new award shows how the UK is recognizing people who promote reading in their communities. Brown's story highlights how one person can create change by investing in causes they believe in, even with limited resources.
More details about the National Reading Hero program and future recipients are expected to be announced.
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