Taylor Richardson’s
Book Project sheds light on racial literacy
Ian Peiris Online Editor
A
t just five years old, Taylor Richardson (‘22) developed a love for space and the stars. She has attended multiple United States space camps and aspires to be the first Black woman to land on Mars. These dreams, however, are coupled with her more serious goals of eliminating racial inequality. “I will continue to face racism in every facet until those who feel differently change it,” Richardson stated in an email. With much racial tension existing in the world today, Richardson just wants to be judged for herself. “If I am to have any legacy, it would be not what but who I impact, engage, inspire and, most importantly, leave a seat at the table [for].”
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To accomplish her goals, Richardson implemented drastic change in the community with projects such as launching 18 GoFundMe campaigns, raising over $250,000, and donating over 11,000 books internationally. However, she believes her advocacy work is far from over. “Until all people, especially those who look like me and [those who are] marginalized and oppressed, are treated equally and fairly, there will always be work to do,” she said. Richardson continues to inspire change today with her latest project, The Black Friend Book Challenge, a proposal of racial literacy and education that began on January 15, 2021. The idea sprouted after Richardson first read The Black Friend: On Being a Better White Person, a book by Frederick T. Joseph. The text contains
Photo Credit: Taylor Richardson
a collection of the author’s personal stories that spotlight racial inequality. “I related to everything that was being said and felt that this book would be a great resource to read for our generation,” she commented. With the ambition of collecting 100 copies of Joseph’s book to donate to local middle and high school libraries, Richardson created her GoFundMe page. Before a week had passed, she had already raised $16,000. “I was completely surprised how quickly the campaign funds grew,” she said, “but that also told me that there are good people of all races who feel like I do.” Interestingly, Richardson’s history with Joseph began long before her latest project. He grew inspired by one of Richardson’s first major projects, a screening of Hidden Figures for low-income girls, and decided to start his
