I couldn’t have been more excited when my daughter, Haelee was invited to participate in the Durham County Library's Teen Book Festival. I was especially excited because yesterday was International Women’s Day. And not only that, it’s Women’s History Month. The festival was a celebration of literacy for Young Adult Authors and readers. Each panelist was invited to share information about their books, writing inspirations, writing process, and life in general.
Haelee did not disappoint! She had 20 minutes to deliver her speech and she did it with poise, confidence, and grace. Haelee shared her writing process, inspiration, and personal testimony with grace, humor, and poise. I'm sure everyone who attended will remember her words for years to come. I'm not just saying this because she's my daughter, she really was amazing! Her jokes were directed at me with an abundance of shade. I didn’t mind because it was all in good fun. Plus the crowd loved it. I mean what am I Will Smith?
As someone who has been on stage myself many times, I can tell you that delivering a speech is one of the hardest things you can do as an individual and Haelee did it flawlessly! If you don’t believe me, go here and see for yourself.
Haelee took over the Teen Gaming Area (Xboxes, Playstations, etc ) once all of the speeches concluded. She answered questions for attendees, autographed items, and handed out candy and free gifts. A little birdie told me that Dear Daughter: A Love Story had been added to Durham Libraries collection of books. I resultantly snuck upstairs to go see for myself while also checking out a few books. You can check the availability and borrow your own copy by going here.
Last but not least, congratulations Durham County Library for putting on a spectacular event. It was replete with laughter, love, transparency, information, and snacks. You guys are awesome as I said in my survey! I will hold this International Women's History Day in my heart forever—and it's because of each one of your Teen Services Librarians. I or rather Haelee and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Please be sure to stay tuned into Durham County Library's events page because they literally have something for everyone. You can access it by going here.
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