We Need Diverse Books Launches Virtual Community
We Need Diverse Books announced on Wednesday that they are launching Rise Up. The nonprofit advocacy organization working to eliminate systemic racism in book publishing is partnering with Beacon Press and Hachette Book Group to launch the virtual community in late spring. The community is intended to support diverse mid-level publishing professionals in an effort to increase their industry retention rates. As part of the initiative, WNDB will facilitate an online community platform on a private Discord server for mid-level professionals who work in both adult and children’s publishing. This will be an opportunity for them to network and share resources. “Diversifying book publishing is about more than bringing new people into the industry: it’s about providing support for those folks as they pursue their careers,” stated Rise Up coordinator Kandace Coston.
Austin Butler in Talks for Key Villain Role in Dune 2
Austin Butler, star of Baz Luhrman’s upcoming Elvis biopic, is in talks to star as a key villain in the sequel to Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 film Dune. Butler would potentially play Feyd-Rautha, the cunning nephew of the baron, played by Stellan Skarsgard. The project hopes to begin shooting this summer in international locales. Currently, they are in the midst of casting three significant roles, with Florence Pugh also in talks for a role in the sequel film.
Moon Knight Featurette Discusses Mental Health
Moon Knight, the next MCU series coming to Disney+, has released a featurette that discusses taking the story’s mental health aspect incredibly seriously. Actor Oscar Isaac, who plays a man with Dissociative Identity Disorder, says in the featurette, “[Moon Knight] is a real, legitimate character study. Our job was to put a lens on the things that had the most dramatic juice, and ultimately take the mental health aspect very seriously.” The featurette also includes new clips from the upcoming series, including one of the god Khonshu. Moon Knight premieres on Disney+ on March 30, 2022.
Assistant Principal Fired After Reading Kids A Silly Book
Mississippi educator Toby Price was fired this week for selecting a humorous, age-appropriate book to read to second graders.