2022 LSU Gumbo - Book - Page 125
LSU NAACP and the Black Law Students
Association gave back to the youth of Baton Rouge
through a book drive from Feb. 15-28.
The donations were distributed to the Baton Rouge
Detention Center and the Baton Rouge Advocacy
Center for children and teens.
LSU NAACP juvenile justice chair Jordan Williams,
an LSU psychology junior, was interested in starting
a donation drive for children in juvenile detention
centers.
Tiger Prison Project held a prison book drive in
previous years. The NAACP was inspired by the Tiger
Prison Project and started a book drive during Black
History Month.
Williams, who gained the juvenile justice
chair position this semester, has been exposed
to various opportunities within the NAACP to
help underresourced people in the Baton Rouge
community. She wanted the book drive to be able to
give children a physical item that they can keep and
cherish throughout the years.
“I knew the joy of receiving a new book and falling
in love with it. I believe that every child should
experience that,” Williams said.
The Baton Rouge Children’s Advocacy Center is
a resource where children who have been abused or
have witnessed malicious acts can be assisted. Williams
believes that giving books to the advocacy center
can allow children to calm their emotions and speak
openly to the counselors within the advocacy center.
“Books can help these children with whatever they
are going through,” Williams said. “These donations
could help a child who normally does not open up to
others find a safe space to share their past experiences.”
Williams has created a barcode on each of the
donation boxes for donors to scan. A website pops up
that gives facts and statistics on youth in the Baton
Rouge community. The barcode also provides a link
to delve deeper into the raw statistics of what children
face in detention centers.
One of the facts listed on the website is the
following: Youths who are detained or incarcerated
may be subject to overcrowding, physical and sexual
violence, trauma, suicide and even death.
LSU NAACP chair of committee on education
Justin Martin, an African and American studies junior
is making sure that each child in Baton Rouge has
the opportunity to receive a better education. Martin
notices the stigma that comes with detention centers
and advocates for juveniles to have access to learning
materials.
“One of the things that makes this book drive really
special is getting rid of people’s negative mindset about
children in detention centers,” Martin said. “Most
think that these underprivileged children don’t need
educational items that a child regularly needs, but they
really do.”
He believes that children in detention centers
need a chance to find an interest that increases their
learning and grows from their past mistakes.
“Books are like a portable world, you can take them
anywhere you go,” Martin said. “For these children that
are physically at the detention center, these books will
have a positive outlet to involve themselves in during
their challenging situations.”
Angel Puder, a junior majoring in political science
and African and African American studies, is the vice
president of the LSU NAACP. She assisted the NAACP
in planning this drive and believes that books will
positively influence children.
“These books should help them have a space to
escape from their daily challenges. That’s what I love
about reading,” Puder said. “You can go into a different
world and live in the characters’ lives if you don’t like
how your life is a the moment.”
Puder wants donors to realize that the smallest
donation of a book can make a positive impact on the
receivers.
“If you had a certain book that impacted you as
a child and donate it, the child can receive the same
experience you received,” Puder said. “The book may
help them just like it did for you.”
125