The Book Diaries: How Two Teens Turned Their Love For Reading Into an Initiative

Books are often seen as a means of gaining knowledge or as a portal into fictional worlds that let us escape for a while. But who knew this could be flipped around and used as a force for the greater good?

Stephanie Shen and Kassia Tan are co-founders of The Book Diaries, a youth non profit organization whose mission is to enhance accessibility for everyone especially for those who don't have the means to access it traditionally through book drives and donations.

This interview is all about their journey, challenges, and their hopes for the future.

What made you start the Book Diaries? 

We have always been huge book lovers and agree that growing up, books have been our sanctuary and opened up so many new perspectives and possibilities.

When we began researching literacy challenges in underserved communities, we recognized an opportunity to leverage our love for books for a meaningful cause. We realized that many families likely had books that could be redistributed to communities lacking access to quality literature, so we established The Book Diaries to bridge that gap.

What was the biggest challenge faced while building this organization and how did the team overcome it? 

Our biggest challenge has been building and maintaining a committed team. We have encountered situations where team members couldn't fulfill their responsibilities despite multiple interventions.

This taught us that effective leadership requires making difficult decisions, and we've learned to establish clear expectations from the outset and make tough choices when necessary to keep our organization functioning effectively.

What has been the most rewarding part about running this initiative? 

The most fulfilling aspect has been the connections we've formed throughout the creation of The Book Diaries. Whether it’s collaborating with other organizations and nonprofits or talking with people at events like our "Blind Date with a Book" fundraiser, these amazing conversations with parents and students about all things books remind us why we started this.

In what way do you think books can unite teens of different ages and ethnicities? And what does a welcoming community mean to you in the context of books?  

Books are so fundamentally universal in their ability to convey human experiences that really go beyond cultural and age boundaries. For example, literature allows readers to explore perspectives different from their own while also finding representation of their own experiences.

A welcoming community around books means creating inclusive spaces where every individual can discover stories that resonate with them, regardless of their background or circumstances.

This is really the motivation behind our nonprofit; creating a world where all voices and reading preferences are valued and celebrated.

In your opinion, what is the most important quality that a youth initiative should always have especially when it comes to working with underserved communities? 

The most important quality is genuine partnership rather than a charitable mindset. We believe that youth initiatives like ours must approach their work with humility and a commitment to listening to community needs, rather than just imposing predetermined solutions. To us, this means taking into account that true sustainable change requires addressing underlying systemic issues and not just immediate problems. We recognize that organizations should focus on building long-term relationships and empowering communities rather than simply providing temporary assistance.

Where is the Book Diaries after 5 years? And how can people get involved to support your mission? 

In five years, we envision The Book Diaries as an established platform that has moved beyond simple book distribution to creating literacy programs and more community partnerships. We hope to have implemented those permanent reading programs in community centers, and our ultimate goal is to have reached tens of thousands of individuals while maintaining the personal connections that really makes our work meaningful.

People can support our mission by visiting our website at thebookdiaries.me, following our social media (@thebookdiariesorg), or setting up book collection efforts in their own communities! We welcome anyone to join our team, whether in logistics, technology, event planning, or community outreach. Every contribution furthers our underlying belief that each book has the potential to transform someone's future.