Come Say the “Bad Words” With Me: Why I Created The Diversity Experience Reading Challenge

deeheartsbooks
Jan 2
3 min read

Updated: Jan 17

The Diversity Experience Reading Challenge is a free, intentional reading challenge designed to help readers explore books by marginalized and underrepresented voices across all genres.

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I’m sure you’ve heard it by now. DEI is a bad word.

Diversity is being challenged in government spaces, stripped from institutions, and debated like it is optional or dangerous.

Words like diversity, culture, inclusion, representation, and equity are suddenly controversial instead of common sense.

But over here at DeeHeartsBooks, we're not running from those words.

We value diversity.

We lean into it.

We talk about it out loud.

And yes, we say it with our whole chest.

And if you’ve been following my book content for any amount of time, you already know this.

Why Diverse Reading Still Matters

One of the most consistent messages I get from readers is this:

“Thank you for your diverse book recommendations.”

People tell me they have discovered new authors, cultures, genres, and perspectives because of the books I share. Stories they would not have picked up on their own.

Characters they had never seen centered before. Topics they had not considered through a fictional lens.

That tells me two things.

First, diverse books matter.

Second, people want help finding them.

So instead of quietly continuing to do what I already do, I decided to make it intentional.

Introducing The Diversity Experience Reading Challenge

The Diversity Experience is a reading challenge I created to encourage readers to intentionally explore diverse books across cultures, identities, abilities, sexual orientations,

genres, and lived experiences.

This is not about checking boxes. This is not about shame reading.And it is definitely not about forcing yourself through books you hate.

This challenge is about curiosity. It is about stretching your reading habits.It is about realizing how much good storytelling exists outside of what we are used to picking up.

And yes, it is about embracing diversity proudly, even when the world is acting weird about it.

What Is The Diversity Experience?

The Diversity Experience is a free reading challenge hosted on StoryGraph. Anyone can join.

The challenge includes 26 prompts, each designed to highlight a different population, cultural experience, ability level, author background, or underrepresented perspective.

Some prompts focus on identity. Some focus on joy. Some focus on history. Some focus on discovery.

Together, they create a full reading experience that goes far beyond “diversify your shelves.”

This challenge encourages readers to explore:

Books by marginalized and independent authors
Stories rooted in culture, food, and community
Global and culturally significant settings
Characters across age, ability, and sexual orientation
Under-reviewed and underrepresented books
Joy-forward stories that do not center trauma

All genres are welcome. Romance, fantasy, historical fiction, literary fiction, thrillers, and everything in between.

How the Challenge Works

The rules are intentionally simple.

Have fun.
Read more.
Do it however you like.

If one book fulfills multiple prompts, use it.

If you skip around, that is fine.

If you only complete half the challenge, you still win.

You can take your time. You can move at your own pace. You can choose books that feel accessible and nourishing to you.

There is no such thing as doing this “wrong.”

Let’s Talk About the Books Together

If you create book content, I encourage you to talk about your progress. Share the books you discover. Highlight authors you had not heard of before. Talk about what surprised you, challenged you, or brought you joy.

And if you follow me on TikTok, even better.

We will be going live. We will be talking through the prompts. We will be discussing the books we find.

And we will absolutely be having a good old time doing it.