This Sunday morning, I’d like to observe Disabilty Pride Month by uplifting Ann Clare LeZotte.

Ann has been D/deaf since birth. She grew up on the north shore of Long Island. She is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College and she currently works as a public librarian in Florida.

As an author, her work includes

• T4: A Novel in Verse (HMH, 2008) which Booklist called a “powerful debut”“Show Me a Sign” (Scholastic, 2020), named a best book of the year by NPR, Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, the New York Public Library, the Chicago Public Library and American Indians in Children’s Literature.

• Set Me Free (Show Me A Sign #2; Scholastic, 2021)

• Sail Me Away Home (Show Me A Sign #3, Scholastic, Nov. 2023)

I’d like to ask you to join me in celebrating Ann’s life and work by donating to the Go Fund Me account that’s been created to crowdsource funding for Ann’s health care. Her long term health issues have depleted many of her resources. Anything you can give toward her costs will do so much to aid in her recovery. Alex Gino writes,

“We need Ann’s words in the world. I need Ann’s words in the world. If you haven’t read SHOW ME A SIGN, there is a treasure in your future. And she has so many more stories to tell. Stories about Deaf pride and activism at Gallaudet University. Stories about being young and queer and alone but then finding your people. Stories she hasn’t told me about yet. Stories she hasn’t told herself about yet.”

Ann has educated me about D/deaf culture, about solidarity, health care, publishing, and so much more. She’s been a friend. Our online conversations feel has if we’ve met years ago, but we’ve never met in person. Not yet. I hope you can find the time to give a little to help with Ann’s care. We need Ann in this world.