Teen Talk: A commitment to ensuring kids worldwide can have books

Last February, the Teen Talk column featured an article on local youth reflecting on Black History. This February, Teen Talk is showcasing a local teen who is inspiring changes around the world. 

High school junior Leyla Angelidis has been working to improve literacy in Ethiopia almost her entire life. As a young girl and an adoptee from Ethiopia, Leyla realized that the life she had in the U.S. was very different from that of other people around the world. When she first noticed that children in her birth country didn’t have the ability to get or read books, she wondered why. Though she wasn’t even in grade school yet, she still knew something was wrong and she asked her mom about it. Leyla’s mom, Ellenore Angelidis, took Leyla’s question seriously and had a lead role in creating Open Hearts Big Dreams (OHBD) to support her daughter’s dream of wanting all children to have books. 

OHDB is a nonprofit organization that creates, publishes and distributes bilingual, culturally appropriate children’s books. As the nonprofit has grown into an award-winning organization, Leyla has been there every step of the way. She has volunteered in almost every capacity, including as a published author, storyteller, fundraiser, promoter and speaker.

Having access to books is a goal of Leyla’s, but having access to culturally appropriate books is important too. According to the concept called “windows and mirrors,”  a story can either reflect a person’s own identity and experiences (mirrors) or offer a glimpse into the lives and cultures of others (windows). This concept is often used to consider the potential impact books can have on readers. Ideally, books can be used to encourage self-understanding and empathy for a diversity of human experiences. 

Now that Leyla is older, representation has become more important. Literacy is a privilege that people often take for granted, but not everyone has access to books. Furthermore, even when books are available in Ethiopia, the characters, images and languages featured don’t reflect the experience of the children reading them. Leyla personally sees the impact that cultural representation in books has on the children reading them. “I love seeing their faces when they realize that they can finally see themselves in the stories they want to read,” she said.

Leyla cares deeply about this cause in which she has invested so much of her time. She encourages others to help contribute to change however they can. “I want people who learn about what we do, to ask themselves how they might be able to help,” she said. Leyla appreciates all the support that OBHD receives, saying, “Big things are great but so are a lot of small things.” 

The OHBD team has created more than 180 copyrighted titles so far. The books are offered in 30 languages including English, Amharic, Spanish, Mandarin and Vietnamese. Now 17 years old, Leyla has co-authored several books featuring children’s stories with Black characters. Her work isn’t done yet, but its impact is being felt around the world! 

“If people don’t get the chance to learn to read, they will never be able to contribute to the world everything they could, and the challenges constantly faced will stay unsolved,” Leyla said. Reflecting on her role in the nonprofit, she said: “Getting books to kids who have never had them before is a big honor and responsibility.” 

Here is why Leyla’s work, and that of other OHBD volunteers, is so significant:

•     It accurately celebrates the lived experiences of Ethiopian culture. 
•     Many of the books have English along with other world languages, so it’s helping even local young readers become multilingual. 
•     It preserves native languages that are dying or never seen in print.
•     In Ethiopia, people often lack literacy because they lack access to books. It’s not because people don’t want to read. Literacy is central to higher education. Offering access to books creates a door to additional education. 

Leyla isn’t alone. OHBD is sustained by hundreds of volunteers including authors, illustrators and donors from Snohomish County. The books are sold and held in libraries worldwide. In the U.S., you can find them in places like the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., Stanford University Libraries, and local libraries including Seattle Public Libraries and those in local schools like Holy Rosary School in Edmonds.

Booker T. Washington once said, “There are two ways of exerting one’s strength: one is pushing down, the other is pulling up.” Leyla is a good example of a teen working to pull people up. She believes that literacy is a human right. “And we can all do something to support making it available to more people locally and globally,” she said. Leyla emphasizes that it doesn’t matter who you are, where you live, or whether you are rich or poor, young or old. “Anyone, and I do mean anyone, can make a positive difference in the world,” she said.  

If you are interested in becoming involved, or you want to learn more, visit the Open Hearts Big Dreams website.

Amelie LaPorte-Manahan is grateful to live in Edmonds. She is a junior at Seattle Prep High School where she is a part of the journalism club and Black Student Union. Amelie has also played varsity basketball and is currently playing on the varsity flag football and softball teams.