Edwin Diaz – Superintendent of G.U.S.D.
Favorite Book:
”
Black Like Me
”
by John Howard Griffin
Edwin Diaz – Superintendent of G.U.S.D.
Favorite Book: “Black Like Me” by John Howard Griffin
Book synopsis: In the fall of 1959, John Howard Griffin used medical treatments to darken the color of his skin and then set out on an odyssey through Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. He was a white man traveling as a black man in order to find out first-hand what it was like “to be a Negro in the Deep South.” His chronicling of that odyssey helped ignite public opinion in support of the burgeoning Civil Rights movement. Source: www.powells.com
Why is it your favorite book?: “It was the first time we had a real meaningful and structured discussion about issues a book brought up. It made me think about issues related to fairness and prejudice.”
How did it change your life?: “It heightened my awareness of racism. It highlighted the importance of judging people for who they are. It solidified how I would treat people and lead my life and advocate for fairness in whatever I chose to do.”
Why did you read the book?: “It was part of a class assignment in English when I was a sophomore or junior. The class was taught by Burt Howard (a longtime Gilroy High School English teacher).”
In concert with the Gilroy Unified School District’s “Love of Literacy Week,” The Dispatch will ask high-profile folks around town to discuss their favorite books. Interviews will run through the end of “Literacy Week,” Nov. 18 to 22. For more information on the first-of-its-kind program here, call the district at
847-2700. On Nov. 18, the GUSD Web site (www.gusd.k12.ca.us) will have a special home page listing literacy activities being done around the district.
