Perpich Hosts BIPOC Authors and Illustrators Book Fair

August 11, 2026

On August 10, Perpich Center hosted the 2nd Annual Book Fair: Celebrating BIPOC Authors and Illustrators. The afternoon event featured guest speakers MN State Senator Mary K. Kunesh and author/spoken word artist/program administrator Bao Phi. Several book sellers such as Black Garnet Books and MN BIPOC Kidlit Creators exhibited in the Tony Basta Gallery. Attendees (educators and school administrators, library media specialists, state and county librarians, and community members) took away inspiring connections and some great books!

MN State Senator Mary K. Kunesh speaks to the audience about the importance of cultural representation in children’s literature

Sen. Kunesh has 25 years of experience as a teacher and school library media specialist, and she was right at home talking with the group. “Books are my jam,” she said with a smile. Bao Phi shared stories of his experience as a Vietnamese-American child growing up in the Phillips neighborhood of Minneapolis. He talked about there being no money in the family to take his mind off the resentment of Asian-Americans he felt at the time, so his escape became going to the public library. That’s where he learned to love books. The unique paths of Sen. Kunesh and Bao Phi brought them both to believe in the power of books, story, and culture. They expressed the importance of sharing culture through picture books, and how children are positively impacted by first-person books and characters that look like them. Authentic representation matters!

Dr. Stephanie Lein Walseth, Perpich Theater Education Specialist, hosts a conversation with Bao Phi

Many thanks to Black Garnet Books and MN BIPOC Kidlit Creators for showcasing books of many authors and illustrators of color! Perpich Librarian Anne Dennison recalled, “It was so gratifying to see the array of the diverse books that are being published these days, and meet the wonderful people that are making it their mission to bring attention to them and put them in the hands of teachers and children.”

Perpich Center for Arts Education is committed to supporting and celebrating BIPOC authors and illustrators and the rich perspectives they bring to children’s literature. Through the Perpich Library’s Children’s Arts and Diversity Collection, educators and community members have access to a wide range of stories, voices, and creative experiences that reflect the diversity of the world around them.