Editorial 254: May 2022
What future for Inclusive Minds?
Following nearly ten years of successful growth, Inclusive Minds, the agency dedicated to ensuring authentic representation in books, is looking for interested parties to get in touch to discuss the next stage in its evolution.
Inclusive Minds was founded in January 2013 by Alexandra Strick and Beth Cox as a collective, bringing together all those passionate about inclusion, diversity, equality and accessibility in children’s literature, and committed to changing the face of children’s books. Originally best known for its ‘A Place at the Table’ events and ‘Everybody In’ charter and campaign, Inclusive Minds has continued to make its mark on the children’s book landscape, evolving with the needs of the industry, and effecting real change. At Books for Keeps we have always been supporters of the work Inclusive Minds has been doing and very aware of the positive impact the organisation has had.
Since 2020, it has operated as a Community Interest Company, led by A M Dassu, with support from her co-directors Heather Lacey and Jessi Parrott. Despite the external challenges of the last two years, it has thrived, with clients including many leading publishers regularly approaching Inclusive Minds as their first point of call for support with authentic inclusion.
Inclusive Minds’ primary mission is its ground-breaking Inclusion Ambassador network which enables book creators to be connected to individuals with lived experience of a particular facet or facets of diversity to help them ensure authenticity. This vital service supports book creators in building authentic characters and plots whilst giving marginalised people a voice in the book world and exposure to the publishing industry.
However, with demand for its services having increased, Inclusive Minds now needs to restructure and is on the hunt for possible solutions, one of which may be identifying an established organisation to provide a suitable new home
The founders of Inclusive Minds together with the directors of the CIC are looking for a new way that Inclusive Minds’ activity can be managed into the future. Ideally the solution would allow the current directors to fully step back, with a view to the initiative being referred to as ‘Inclusive Minds administered by X’. The organisation that takes on Inclusive Minds would have full responsibility for the running and the assets of the venture. Although the directors/founders are prioritising interest from structured and impartial organisations in a position to take on the entity as a whole, they are open to suggestions of other solutions that may enable Inclusive Minds to thrive.
We hope very much that a solution will be found and that the vital work carried out by Inclusive Minds will continue. To find out more and to get involved visit the Inclusive Minds website.
