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City of North Miami Playground to be Named After REFORMA Leader Lucia M. Gonzalez

REFORMA Past-President and leader Lucia M. Gonzalez' trajectory will be honored by the City of North Miami with naming a children's playground (tot lot) adjacent to the North Miami Public Library in her name. The "Lucia Martinez Gonzalez Tot Lot" will feature a groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, March 28th at 3:00pm EST, with the presence of Councilwoman Kassandra Timothe.

REFORMA Past-President and leader Lucia M. Gonzalez' trajectory will be honored by the City of North Miami with naming a children's playground (tot lot) adjacent to the North Miami Public Library in her name. The "Lucia Martinez Gonzalez Tot Lot" will feature a groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, March 28th at 3:00pm EST, with the presence of Councilwoman Kassandra Timothe.

Lucia M. Gonzalez started her career in library services to children in 1988 after receiving her Masters in Library Science from the University of South Florida. Since then, Gonzalez has worked in different capacities for the Miami-Dade Public Library System including system-wide Programs Coordinator. She was Associate Director for Broward County Libraries in charge of Outreach, Family Literacy, and Youth Services and Director of the City of North Miami Library, from where she retired in 2023. 

She is the author of three award-winning children's books: The Bossy Gallito, winner of the 1996 Pura Belpré Children's Literature Honor Medal and part of New York Public Library's 100 Picture Books Everyone Should Know; Señor Cat's Romance and Other Favorite Stories from Latin America, an Américas Award Commended Title; and The Storyteller's Candle/La velita de los cuentos, winner of the 2009 Pura Belpré Children's Literature Honor Medal for narrative, the Jane Addams Children's Book Award, Honor Book, and the Américas Award.

Lucia is a Past-President of REFORMA , the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking (2010-11), National Co-Chair of REFORMA's Children and Young Adult Services Committee (2006-2010), vital leader, former member and chair, and supporter of the Pura Belpré Award Committee, two-time recipient of national Library Journal Movers & Shakers Award for her contributions in shaping the future of libraries, and 2021-22 President of the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a Division of the American Library Association. Lucia received the REFORMA Elizabeth Martinez Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2023.
 

RSVP for the groundbreaking ceremony. 

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