Volume XLV: The 2025 ad astra Readership Challenge
Because together readers can create societal change
Introduction
January 2025 has been a whirlwind. And while we are (unfortunately, horrifically) used to the nonstop media cycle these days, this month has felt like an entire year. But we keep reminding ourselves of the spaces that have stepped up time and time again, like libraries, bookstores, and the reading community. We know that we are entering an increasingly dark time, but amidst it all, they give us hope.
[Dear readers: Please note that this issue contains discussions of white supremacy and all that radiates from it—racism, sexism, transphobia, and more.]
“Hope is a discipline,” notes Mariame Kaba in We Do This ‘Til We Free Us. It’s no secret that we are huge fans of Kaba, and this quote has become our mantra, reminding us to look in our everyday lives for inspiration for change and how we too can play a role. But it’s hard…it’s really, really hard. From the LA wildfires, to the Israeli government’s intensified attacks on the West Bank, to TikTok’s ban and Trump’s promise to “save” the app (despite being the one who kicked off the ban) and its ensuing Trump propaganda, to the inauguration and the horrific, yet unsurprising, executive orders and directives given since, how are we supposed to practice hope?
Earlier this month, we launched our 2025 ad astra Readership Challenge. When we were thinking about the new year and the many reading challenges starting to fill our social feeds, we saw an opportunity to keep ourselves accountable to our activism goals through a reader’s lens. Because readers and the change we can create constantly give us hope, no matter how horribly our government acts. Reading is interconnected to so many of today’s issues—by taking a few additional steps, we can push our communities forward.
While going forward our mid-month newsletters will highlight resources and updates regarding the challenge, we first want to provide a deeper overview. Because while this challenge is about reading, it’s primarily about working together to create societal change. And that’s something we all really need, and something that can give us hope.
A Deeper Look
With all that’s going on in the world around us, knowing where to direct our energy can feel overwhelming (note: that’s their goal). There are so many important issues at stake, from immigration to LGBTQIA+ rights to censorship to reproductive justice to the climate emergency. And there’s no way a single individual can focus on it all, no matter how hard we might try or want. Making a plan—a list of actionable items—can help us all get started, especially when we’re passionate about the topic(s) at hand. And so that’s what we decided to do with our Readership Challenge.
The challenge is straightforward. There are 12 prompts:
Utilize your public library every month
Read a nonfiction book on an unfamiliar subject
Attend an event hosted by an independent bookstore
Join local school board meeting
Contribute to a literacy organization
Show support for the independent bookstore(s) you love
Show up for BIPOC, disabled, and LGBTQIA+ authors, content creators, and publishing employees
Read a book from a new-to-you independent publisher
Support a mutual aid initiative rooted in the principles of a book that has inspired you
Divest at least one reading resource from Amazon
Contact your political representatives routinely about critical issues
Include reading in your mental health toolkit
As noted, some of the prompts require participation throughout the year, and others you can do from your couch on a weeknight. Some are more daunting than others, requiring time and research. When we asked members of our challenge’s Broadcast Channel what they need more resources on, the majority of folks said fighting book bans and supporting literacy organizations. We’ll make sure to share resources for these sooner rather than later, to ensure plenty of time to get involved. These also might be helpful to recruit a friend for.
Most of the topics we chose can also be completed through the lens of an issue you are passionate about. For example, you could support a mutual aid organization centering immigration rights, and contact your reps about the same topic. You could speak out at your school board meeting on protecting immigrant students, and read a book from a new-to-you publisher on ways to defend their rights. Or this can act as a starting point for your individual journey as an activist and/or organizer, learning more about different issues and trying new organizations. There’s no right or wrong answer.
While a lot of the prompts center community care, some do involve more “traditional” forms of advocacy such as contacting our reps. Both types of actions are essential in the years to come, because both play a role in communicating the necessity of change. Ultimately, our hope is that we not only become more aware of what’s happening in our community and how to support one another, but that we 1) can spread that knowledge just like we share our favorite books and 2) find ways and motivation to remain committed to supporting our community. This challenge may only have 12 prompts, but they center actions that can be taken again and again and again.
Everyone who participates will be asked to complete a form in December. Those who complete all of the prompts will be entered to win a $100 gift card to the independent bookshop of their choice, and all participants who finish at least six will receive an exclusive ad astra sticker. (While we encourage folks from anywhere to join, these rewards are for U.S. participants, 18+, only at this time.)
Ways to Respond
As you look over the prompts, you may find it helpful to set aside time to ask yourself:
What issues motivate you?
What skills can you best contribute?
What time and funds do you have?
Where are your gaps in knowledge and what are you well-versed in?
Answering these questions will help you best understand where and how you are most likely to remain committed in the long term. Please note that you do not have to be an expert on something, or have any knowledge on something, to get involved! But, you must be open and committed to learning more.
Having a place to jot this information and other ideas down makes the prompts feel more doable, too, which is why we made two templates for you to utilize. Just copy the documents and track your progress online, or print them out. As someone who never feels like she’s doing enough, a tracker reminds me that I am playing an important part—and reminds me to look ahead to what comes next.
Aside from the downloadable tracker, we started a Broadcast Channel to share timely updates, ask questions, and encourage folks to stay invested. If you haven’t already joined and find more frequent communication helpful for accountability, we encourage you to do so.
And as with any challenge, sometimes it’s easiest to dip your toes in to start (especially with the news onslaught we’ve been having). For example, to get started, I utilized my public library (prompt #1): I booked a ticket to a local museum for free. Not only did this action show my library (and my local government) that funding is important, but also helped me unplug temporarily. Now, among other actions, I’m working on finding a mutual aid organization in my area that I can get involved in (prompt #9).
We’ll be sharing prompt-specific resources in the months to come, but here are some broader reading and tools on activism to help us all get started:
Activist Handbook: A Wikipedia-like site that will help you “learn how to become an activist, plan a political campaign strategy, and start a grassroots movement - all while not burning out.”
Blueprints for Change: “Blueprints for Change is a network of anti-oppressive organizers from around the world that share their skills and knowledge to support the work of fellow activists.”
Mutual Aid by Dean Spade: “This book is about mutual aid: why it is so important, what it looks like, and how to do it. It provides a grassroots theory of mutual aid, describes how mutual aid is a crucial part of powerful movements for social justice, and offers concrete tools for organizing, such as how to work in groups, how to foster a collective decision-making process, how to prevent and address conflict, and how to deal with burnout.
And, importantly, some reading on why (and how) publishers must be held accountable, because many have yet to prove themselves.
Final Musings
In addition to the horrific governmental decisions made in the coming years, we can also expect a huge resurgence of the “reading is not political” conversation. But of course that’s not true—just look at book bans, at restricted access to literacy, to the revisionist history being written as we speak. Reading has always been and will always be political, and it's our duty, frankly, as readers who love books and the worlds they build to fight for them—and what they teach us—in real life. For what is the point of reading if not to make us better, brighter, stronger, emotionally in touch, caring, dreaming, and rested up to fight?
If you have any questions about the challenge, don’t hesitate to pop those in the comments or our Broadcast Channel. We look forward to creating a difference with you, and are grateful to be surrounded by so many people committed to building a better world.
We will be back in a few weeks with a dive into a recent read and resources for a challenge prompt, and then next month’s end-of-month newsletter will be back to business as usual, focusing on the latest publishing news.
We also offer reading-themed prints for a cause, free downloads (wallpapers, templates, and more), and our exclusive downloads for newsletter subscribers (with password newsletterdownloads). If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, don’t hesitate to get in touch via email, the comments below, or Instagram DM.
Xx,
ad astra