Local author Chieri Uegaki has participated in the much-loved Celebration of Authors, Books and Community, a program that brings authors into Coast classrooms, on three different occasions. Chieri’s children’s books are populated with Japanese-Canadian characters, and during her time in classrooms, she also speaks to students about her culture and her experiences as an ESL learner. “I tell them how books and reading helped get me through school,” she says. “They respond positively and it’s very rewarding when you know you’ve reached a child that may be inspired to write. Especially for immigrant children or kids whose first language isn’t English, when they see somebody who has similarities to their background, it becomes real to them, an attainable thing, being a writer.” Chieri is also a patron of the festival and gladly donated to the Legacy of Literacy campaign. “A program like CABC is really important to help supplement the exposure kids have to books and writers,” she says. “I think it’s very valuable and I’m very grateful that the Festival supports this kind of program.”