< PRUDENTIAL EMERGING VISIONARIES WINNERS

Sidney Keys III

PRUDENTIAL EMERGING VISIONARIES 2023 | SOCIETAL SOLUTIONS WINNER

Project: "Books N Bros"

Sidney Keys III, 17, of Marietta, Georgia, founded “Books N Bros,” a book club that improves the relationship young Black men have with reading by amplifying African American stories and literature.

Sidney started the program to increase literacy among young men of color. His project curates boxes of books representing diverse perspectives that are shipped across the country monthly, along with hosting virtual and in-person meetups. The club is a safe space for young men of color to connect and grow a relationship with books together. The program serves more than 700 young men internationally.

AGE: 17

LOCATION: Marietta, Georgia

FOCUS AREAS: Education, Entrepreneurship, Youth, Equity & Inclusion, Civic Engagement

What was the "Aha!" moment that led you to get started and see the potential for this to succeed?

My mom took me to the only african american children's bookstore in STL and we were enthralled by the representation in the books around the store. I wanted other kids, especially boys like me, to have this same feeling of belonging and empowerment as well.

What problem are you helping to solve, why is tackling this issue important to you, and why does solving it matter for your community?

Black boys stereotypically score lower on literacy tests. I want to beat that stereotype.

African American literacy makes up less than 10% of literary stories sold. I also want to amplify Black authors.

How are you tackling the problem? Share your specific approach.

So far we have been able to see improvement in the relationship black boys have with reading, we make reading cool. In addition to this, we measure reading levels when boys join and we've also seen reading scores increase with book club members as well! We host monthly virtual and in person meetups, offer mentorship and ship boxes nationally each month.

How have you set your project up for success?

Books N Bros is a subscription-based model now serves anyone no matter the zipcode. We know kids can't drive, so if they have transportation issues, no worries, we are shipping the box to you! We also created our Adopt A Bro program to provide free bookclub boxes for those who qualify.

How has your solution inspired those most affected by the problem to act, or influenced others to create their own solutions to the issue you are addressing? How have you led others to take action in the community around you?

We have a bookclub member, who is now our St. Louis ambassador, Mikey Wren. When Mikey first joined years ago, he would simply attend meetings. But the meetups inspired him to tell his own story. He is now a best-selling children's book author and he is only 15 years old!