17 years old from West Orange, New Jersey
Marley Dias
Favorite Food: Sushi
What is their mission/cause?
Marley pursues social justice and equity, using schools as the foundation for her change. She wants to implement diversity in classrooms and provide resources for those in need.
How is she doing it? Marley collected thousands of books for her drive #1000BlackGirlBooks. Those books are donated to national and international schools, putting diversity in classrooms. These stories are shared with the young girls of today and inspire them to pursue their own change.
Fun Fact:
Marley used to play with Rubik’s Cubes and can solve them fast! She can crochet and make all sorts of creations. Marley is a film junkie and spent a year watching one movie a day.
Inspirational quote: Marley knew that if change was going to happen, it needed to begin with her: “It was no longer about ‘can I do it?’ — it [was] ‘when will I do it?’”
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Date of recording: July 10, 2022
Marley Dias took her passion for reading to a whole new level when she began the #1000BlackGirlBooks drive in West Orange, New Jersey. Her cause launched into the public eye and grew to be a campaign lasting a year. She collected thousands of books and donated them to nationwide and international schools with the goal of adding diversity to classroom bookshelves. Since then, Marley has worked to raise awareness and uplift the voices of women of color. She continues to tell the stories and experiences of black girls, inspiring young women to create change for themselves, their community, and the world. Marley is a novel changemaker!
About Marley
By Clove Morgan
Everyone has taken the trip to the school library in search
of their next read. Books are the most critical school supply
and necessary in all forms of learning. They serve as the
foundation for education. Some of us have the privilege of
seeing ourselves in the pages we read. We have a plethora
of literature at our fingertips with millions of stories to
become a part of. Marley Dias didn’t see it that way.
Marley, a self-proclaimed “heavily engaged reader,” noticed a
distinct lack of representation on her classrooms’
bookshelves. The stories being told were not ones she
identified with, ones that she doubted other people of color
and young girls would feel familiar with.
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In 2015, she launched an event called the #1000BlackGirlBooks drive to collect 1000 books with black female protagonists to donate to schools. Once the media caught wind of her cause, her project took off into a much larger year-long campaign. The event that once predicted a final number of 1000 books surpassed 13,000 donations. Marley, in her outstanding success proceeded to donate those books to schools nationwide and beyond.​​
“I feel very very proud of what I was able to do at such a young age,”
Marley says now, seven years later, “and the amount of rooms that I
found myself in where nobody looked like me… to make my story
known.” After her experience with #1000BlackGirlBooks, she went on
to write her own book titled: Marley Dias Gets It Done: And So Can You!
Her book provides a guide for young girls who want to make their own
change and come into their own person. Marley shares the need for
support and resources for young people who want to make active
shifts in their community. She described her own experiences with
insight as to how she started. When she was only ten years old, she
worked with her local YMCA to provide books to those in need. She
always had a passion for reading and wanted to spread her love to others.​​
“I want to be able to transform what publishing looks like and what education looks like,” Marley explained in an interview with Zhive. Those industries have a monumental impact on youth today, and the lack of representation is working against a brighter future. Marley is aware of the diverse communities in society, and she was made conscious of her duty to pursue change in the world from a young age.
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As she grew, Marley was able to transform her view of
supporting and uplifting others. Affirmation of importance
played a huge role in her journey for social justice. She realized
that she owed it to others to have her activism intersectional
and all-encompassing.
Marley described her admiration for strong women in media,
politics, and more. However, she owes her devotion to making
changes to her mom. Marley’s mom, Dr. Janice Johnson Dias,
began the GrassROOTS Community Foundation (GCF) as a
support system for women and girls in economic distress.
She taught Marley to care about others and advocate for those
who need their voices heard.
Marley always felt a need to share stories and provide support for her community. Over half of her life has been spent dedicated to uplifting the voices of young girls of color and offering resources to those in need. From her local town to a national and international scale, she donated the stories that represented what she wanted to see growing up. Now, she is continuing to spread awareness for issues regarding racial and gender-based injustice.
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Marley uses her voice to promote diversity and be the one to start the
action for change and encourages others to do the same. “It was no
longer about ‘can I do it?’ — it’s like ‘when will I do it?’” Marley tells us.
We couldn’t have said it better!
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