CURRENT POSITION Librarian, Mission High School, TX DEGREE MLIS, Sam Houston State University, 2011 FOLLOW @MargiesMustRead; Instagram @margiesmustreads; margiesmustreads.com Photo by Jonathan Salinas

Mission Driven

As an eighth grade reading teacher in the Rio Grande Valley, Margarita Longoria noticed a lack of literacy events and diversity in curriculum offered for young adults. Most libraries and bookstores focused on elementary readers; Longoria felt that young adults deserved attention, too. She also knew that it was crucial for young people to see themselves in the books and authors they read, so she founded the Border Book Bash festival. It provides a fun, non-academic setting for young adults to gather and connect with diverse authors and one another. The first festival was held in 2016 at Mission Independent School District’s Alton Memorial Jr. High with author Meg Medina headlining. The festival, which has attracted thousands of students, now travels throughout the region, benefiting every area of the community. In 2020, the festival went online, reaching readers around the world.

Longoria’s passion for her community also led her to compile Living Beyond Borders: Growing Up Mexican in America (Philomel, 2021), an anthology of essays, short stories, and poems showcasing her heritage on the Texas-Mexico border.

As an advocate for ensuring accessibility of books to all students, keeping library doors open and serving everyone who enters, and preserving intellectual freedom for all, Longoria says, “Every day it’s an honor to put books into the hands of the future.”

“I’m eager to continue to fight the good fight for the bright futures of libraries,” she adds. “I hope to continue to shine a light on the importance of diverse voices and content in library collections and in classrooms.”