Diverse stories matter. Our world is richly varied in culture, identity, language, and lived experience—and the stories we tell should reflect that. But as more writers strive to include diverse characters, there’s a growing tension between inclusion and cultural appropriation. Where is the line? How can writers reflect the world’s richness without misrepresenting the communities within it? As a white woman, should I even be writing about characters of other ethnicities and c

Stories can shape our hearts, our minds, and even our entire cultures. But who tells the story can be just as important as the story itself. This is where Own Voices stories come in—books written by authors who share the same marginalized identity as their protagonists. Whether it’s a queer teen navigating first love, an immigrant family adjusting to a new country, or a neurodivergent child discovering their place in the world, Own Voices stories offer something no one else c