This session spotlights a romance book club designed to center Black teen girls and other teens of color by celebrating love stories that reflect their lived experiences, dreams, and identities. Rooted in the belief that reading for pleasure is both a literacy strategy and a form of resistance, the romance book club uses contemporary YA romance novels to foster community and culturally responsive learning. More than a feel-good book club about love, the group is grounded in a justice-oriented framework. Romance becomes a tool for unpacking social issues like desirability politics, colorism, gender roles, and representation in media. Through guided conversations, teens interrogate which stories are centered in publishing, who gets to be seen as lovable, and how narrative power shapes self-worth and social perception. Whether you're a school librarian, public librarian, classroom teacher, or youth advocate, this session will offer a refreshing take on what it means to nurture readers, affirm identities, and make space for softness and storytelling for teenagers in libraries.
