On Wednesday, February 8th at 7:00 p.m., central, the LaSalle Public Library will join libraries across the state in hosting best-selling and award-winning children’s and young adult author and poet, Kwame Alexander. <br/><br/>In this virtual discussion, Kwame will share ways to say yes to your story and persist in the face of rejection, as he shares his own publishing journey. As a creator of more than 36 books, he will energize the community to harness the power of words and storytelling for change. <br/><br/>Kwame Alexander is a poet, educator, publisher, and New York Times bestselling author of 36 books, including Swing, Becoming Muhammad Ali, co-authored with James Patterson, Rebound, The Undefeated, The Crossover, and The Door of No Return. A regular contributor to NPR's Morning Edition, Kwame is the recipient of numerous awards, including The Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, The Coretta Scott King Author Honor, Three NAACP Image Award Nominations, and the 2017 Inaugural Pat Conroy Legacy Award. In 2018, he opened the Barbara E. Alexander Memorial Library and Health Clinic in Ghana, as a part of LEAP for Ghana, an international literacy program he co-founded. He is the writer and executive producer of The Crossover show on Disney+. <br/><br/>This event is made possible by Illinois Libraries Present (ILP), a statewide collaboration among public libraries. ILP is funded in part by a grant awarded by the Illinois State Library, a department of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA). <br/><br/>The program is free and open to the public. Register – https://bit.ly/ILP_KwameAlexander. For more information, please call the Library at 815-223-2341. <br/><br/><br/>