The Estela and Raúl Mora Award was established in 2000 by author Pat Mora and her family to honor their parents and to motivate libraries to celebrate "Día," El día de los niños/El día de los libros, Children's Day/Book Day on April 30th. Founded by Pat in 1996, this family literacy initiative that advocates daily linking all children with books is now housed at The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association. Annual culminating celebrations of "bookjoy" are held in libraries across the country in April.
Raúl (Roy) Mora came to El Paso, Texas from Chihuahua as a young boy at the time of the Mexican Revolution of 1910. Estela (Stella) was born in El Paso as were her four children. Bilingual, loving parents, Estela and Raúl took great pride in their children's successes. Raúl, a hard-working father with a great sense of humor, owned the United Optical Company. Stella, a homemaker who loved learning and books, helped with her husband's business and was active in her children's school.
Members of REFORMA, the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-speaking, Pat's partner throughout Día's history, serve as judges for the Award which consists of a check for $1,000 and a plaque donated by the Mora grandchildren. In 2000, the Austin Public Library received the first annual Mora Award. Subsequent recipients are the El Paso Public Library, Multnomah County Library (OR), Corvallis-Benton Public Library (OR), Providence Public Library (RI), REFORMA de Utah, Kenton County Public Library (KY), Broward County Library (FL) and the 2008 winners Riverside County Library System (CA) and Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenberg County (NC).
Why emphasize books? Reading families are essential in a democracy. Books offer children pleasure and power.
The Mora Family is grateful to Reforma and the American Library Association for promoting Día and encouraging all families to enjoy books, languages and cultures.
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