Donation Adds More Asian American Voices To Livingston Library

LIVINGSTON, NJ — Community groups and residents in Livingston have been uniting in an effort to boost their local public library with books celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) culture.

The Livingston Multicultural Parents Association (LMPA), a newly formed parents support group in town, recently presented a $950 donation to the Friends of the Livingston Library. The donation was part of a previous community effort in honor of AAPI Heritage Month, which raised $3,600 via a GoFundMe page, organizers said.

The LMPA explained more about the campaign in a news release. The group wrote:

“May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, which recognizes the contributions and influence of Asian Americans and Pacific Islander Americans to the history, culture, and achievements of the United States. Celebrations to honor this heritage month were held for the first time in Livingston in the wake of the recent surging racial violence against AAPI community members nationwide.

“Feeling compelled to increase cultural and historical awareness to dispel stereotypes and prejudices held towards AAPI community, LMPA believes that one way to begin is to share AAPIs' stories and voices. Supported by Livingston Social Justice Committee and Livingston AAPI Youth Alliance, LMPA reached out to the Livingston Public Library in mid-April and proposed to donate AAPI-themed books. Despite the short notice and tight schedule, [Director Amy Babcock] and the staff at the library went out of their way to support LMPA’s effort.

“A GoFundMe page was quickly established, and a total of $3,600 plus had been raised within a very short period of time thanks to the generosity of the community members. As stated on the GoFundMe page, the funds raised would be used towards purchasing AAPI-themed books and donate them to Livingston Public Library. Any surplus will be donated to the Friends of the Livingston Library in the name of AAPI community of Livingston. From fundraising in late April to the donated books displayed in the lobby of Livingston Public Library on May 9, our community members and Livingston Public Library showed astonishing support to this AAPI Heritage Month program.

“The LMPA has done more than arranging book donations to the Livingston Public Library; it has also donated AAPI-themed children’s books to all six Livingston elementary schools. Working with Mrs. Babcock, LMPA recruited 10 Livingston Schools students/Livingston High School alumni and made some book reviews videos to promote the donated books. Mrs. Babcock wrote a message from the director in the following link to highlight the students’ phenomenal work.

The LMPA offered “special thanks” to Livingston Justice Events and the Livingston Chinese Association for their support in the book donation process.

Babcock recently authored her own message about the book donation and fundraising effort. She wrote:

“In May of 2021, the library was generously gifted different titles in honor of AAPI (Asian Americans and Pacific Islander) Heritage Month from the Livingston Multicultural Parents Association (LMPA), a parents group co-founded by Xiaoshan He and Lynn Lin. The book donation was initiated by Livingston AAPI Youth Alliance (LAYA), a high school students support group, at a town hall meeting organized by Livingston Committee for Diversity & Inclusion on March 25 this year. Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill spoke at the meeting about the surge of attacks on AAPI community members. Mayor [Shawn] Klein and BOE members were also present at the meeting. LAYA’s co-founders Russell Fan, Rachel Horn and Eric Dalangin, all three LHS juniors, approached Livingston Social Justice Committee and LMPA for collaboration.”

Babcock continued:

“Although AAPI Heritage Month is over, the Livingston Multicultural Parents Association and the Livingston library’s work of promoting cultural and historical awareness continues.”

The library director offered links to 10 book review videos produced by current LPS students, as well as LHS alumni from the Livingston AAPI Youth Alliance. They highlight titles that were donated to the library, and span from juvenile to adult materials. (See below)

“Multicultural representation in literature is important and powerful,” Babcock asserted. “Reading about people similar to you helps readers feel seen and understood, while reading about people that are different from ourselves helps build empathy and common understanding.”

Crystal Song | Class of 2014
Racial Melancholia, Racial Dissociation Traffic in Asian Women
Michelle Bao |Class of 2014
Sour Heart
Grace An | Class of 2014
Driven Out
Helen Chen | Class of 2014
Driven Out
Renee Hong | 10th Grader
Ambitious and Anxious
Eric Chen | 6th Grader
When My Name Was Keoko
Avery Li | 8th Grader
Bound
Chelsea Peng | 9th Grader
Role Models Who Look Like Me: Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders Who Made History
Daisy Yao | 9th Grader
A Thousand Beginnings and Endings
Vera Li | 11th Grader
Something in Between

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