Black – Black. Girl. Iowa.

Bucket List Item #67: Create a Reading Challenge

It’s amazing what you can achieve when you have time and inspiration to create something. Recently, I was encouraged by a TikToker to embrace my creativity and passion and put out the content I want for my platform. To be honest, it felt like she was yelling at me, but I heard what she was saying.

So, I selected twenty books from my bookshelf, created the challenge and posted it to my social media accounts. It was well received and a follower from Instagram let me know I can add this challenge to Storygraph and encourage participation to the challenge.

This reading challenge is special because it encourages me to:

Read books that I have already purchased
Learn more about my own culture from Black authors
Create a safe space to discuss these books
Engage in meaningful conversations with a diverse and respectful group of people

The challenge will begin on Wednesday, January 1st, 2025. IThis is an exciting venture and I appreciate that TikToker for encouraging Black women to carve out space for ourselves and share our content.

2025 Black. Girl. Iowa. Reading Challenge List – Full List

How to Be an Anti-Racist by Ibram X. Kendi
Blookmarked by Tracy Deonn
Juneteenth by Ralph Ellison
So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
Freewater by Amina Luqman-Dawson
Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall
Okoye to the People: A Black Panther Story by Ibi Zoboi
Almost There: A Twisted Tale by Farrah Rochon
The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
Caste by Isabel Wilkerson
The 1619 Project by Nikole Hannah-Jones
Four Hundred Souls by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain
Run: Book One by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, L. Fury and Nate Powell
American Royalty by Tracey Livesay
The Davenports by Krystal Marquis
Nubia: The Awakening by Omar Epps and Clarence A. Haynes
I Know Why the Caged Bird Songs by Maya Angelou
A Promised Land by Barack Obama
While We Were Dating by Jasmine Guillory
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

Happy Reading 🙂