WEST ORANGE, NJ – Roosevelt eighth grade student Marley Dias continues to achieve international recognition as the result of the creation of her “1,000 Black Girl Books” movement.

After bringing attention to the lack of literature that Marley felt reflected her and other young black women, she collected tens of thousands of books and became an overnight sensation, appearing on news and talk shows. She has continued her efforts as a speaker, advocate, and writer, even interviewing Hillary Clinton for Elle magazine.

Dias has been named to Forbes 2018 “30 Under 30” list and will attend the Forbes event on Nov. 28. She has also been named to Crain New York’s “20 under 20” list.

On Nov. 29, Dias will be honored in the Youth category alongside Director Ava DuVernay and musician John Legend at the sixth annual Smithsonian Ingenuity Gala awards.

Dias then heads to Los Angeles as a featured speaker and co-host of the Teen Vogue Awards on Dec. 2. The summit ‘will bring together activists and civic leaders, tech mavens, business founders, and the new generation of mission-minded fashion and beauty icons,’ according to the event website. Hilary Rodham Clinton, Yara Shahidih of “Blackish,” Chelsea Handler, and dozens more will speak along with Dias. 

In early 2018, Scholastic Books will release Dias’s first book “Marley Dias Gets It Done: And So Can You!” The book is a how-to guide that encourages young people to channel their passions to create change and follow their dreams.

Read about Marley’s Smithsonian Ingenuity recognition here.

Read about Marley’s “30 Under 30” recognition here.

Read about Marley’s “20 Under 20” recognition here.

Read about Marley’s book “Marley Dias Gets It Done: And So Can You!” here.

 Marley and her new book. (Photo credit: Buck Ennis)