The OLC is excited to announce that long-time LGBTQ+ activist and award-winning author Alex Gino will close the 2022 Convention and Expo on Fri., Sept. 30 at the Glass City Center in Toledo.

Alex Gino is best known for Melissa (formerly titled George), their middle-grade novel whose transgender character identifies as female. The book has won numerous awards, including the Lambda Literary Award and the American Library Association’s Stonewall Award. It has also been a frequent target of challenges and bans. When Gino started writing it in 2003, they had no idea how long of a journey it would be, but the hole in children’s literature was clear, and they knew how they wanted to fill it. After countless revisions, breaks of frustration, and days spent staring at drafts willing them to be better, Gino was delighted and proud to share Melissa’s story with the world in 2015. The book has won numerous awards, including the Lambda Literary Award and the American Library Association’s Stonewall Award. It has also been a frequent target of challenges and bans.

Gino’s latest book, “Alice Austen Lived Here” features two non-binary protagonists and a powerful story that encourages kids to consider the history they are traditionally taught and what it means to be included. During their keynote presentation, Gino will discuss the importance LGBTQIA+ content and why it is frequently targeted by censors.