When a Library Refused to Carry LGBTQ Books, Willie Carver Started His Own
Metro Weekly. “They would share with each other like a little underground network.”The students asked Carver to help establish a library so others could access the books.“It was such a beautiful moment where I could hear young people understanding the importance of books, who want to help other people,” he says.Together, Carver and the students applied for an “It Gets Better” grant and received $4,000 to build the inclusive library.After hearing an LGBTQ student at a neighboring school committed suicide, the students donated half of the grant to build a second library in their honor.With the remainder of the grant, Carver and the students worked with a local bookstore to curate a list of titles.