SAG-AFTRA Actress, Model, Artist, and Down Syndrome Activist Mia Armstrong to Present at 2024 LibLearnX

CHICAGO – The American Library Association (ALA) has announced that SAG-AFTRA actress, model, Down Syndrome activist, and new author Mia Armstrong will be an Author Speaker at the 2024 LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience (LLX) in Baltimore, January 19–22, 2024.

Mia Armstrong is a SAG-AFTRA actress, model, and voiceover artist who once declared in a "Good Morning America" interview that Down syndrome is her superpower―and she’s proving that to be true. She will star in her first feature film, "Christmas in New Hope," which hits streamers this Christmas. She has also starred in the Apple TV show "Hello Jack," "Muppet Babies," and Disney’s YouTube series, "The Disney Princess Club." She has appeared in ads for Tommy Hilfiger, Walmart, Target, Amazon, Walgreens, Samsung, Cheerios, Chase, and Nickelodeon. She has also appeared on "The View," "MSNBC," and "The Tamron Hall Show."

Armstrong is changing the way intellectual disabilities and differences are perceived as she fights for inclusion and against discrimination. The actress and artist will be in conversation with her mother, Cara Armstrong, and her editor, Sara Sargent, to discuss her debut picture book, "I Am a Masterpiece!," which offers a glimpse into the life of a child with Down syndrome, helping some readers see themselves in a book and others understand their friends, classmates, and family members who are neurodivergent. The book will be available January 2024.

LibLearnX registration is open and registrants can save with early rates through November 30.

LibLearnX is a four-day learning conference that invites ALA members and non-members to participate in collaborative and engaging education, networking, and celebrations. Designed as an active-learning experience, LibLearnX offers a diverse selection of more than 100 education programs, created by library professionals for library professionals. The sessions will be available in eight primary content areas: Books and Authors, Collection Services, Community Outreach and Engagement, Health and Wellness, Leadership and Management, Library Programs and Services, Readers' Advisory, and Technology Innovation.

From hands-on workshops to bite-sized presentations, participants will be able to collaborate and engage in education programs offered in four available learning formats. View the LibLearnX Program to find the daily schedule, education programs, with more to be added.

The LibLearnX main stage will host featured speakers and ALA Leadership who will discuss topics that are important to library professionals and the future of libraries.

The LLX Marketplace will host 120+ exhibitors offering the newest titles, leading technologies, and core services for libraries. Creative and collaborative activation zones will include Ideas Xchange sessions where attendees will share creative projects and enjoy peer-to-peer conversations. ShopTalk sessions will offer practical knowledge, tips, hot topics, and trends in bite-sized presentations. On the LLX Studio stage, author speakers will inspire and motivate attendees.

LibLearnX attendees can expand their networks in collaborative education programs and varied social activities, including the I Love My Librarian Awards, the ALA Youth Media Awards, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Sunrise Celebration, and more. The Book and Media Awards and Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction will be streamed virtually.

LibLearnX will once again host participants at the ALA Governance Institute (AGI). The Institute offers the leadership and professional development skills needed for impactful leadership and effective decision making. It will take place Friday, January 19, 2024, from 1:00 p.m.– 5:00 p.m., and is open to the first 200 LibLearnX registrants that sign up. There is no separate registration for the AGI session, sign up is completed at LibLearnX registration.

The LLX Digital Experience is a virtual presentation model that offers access to a curated selection of sessions, including the Opening and Closing sessions, author speakers on the LLX Studio stage, education sessions, the ALA Youth Media Awards, and the Book and Media Awards/Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction. Registrants will have access to on-demand content through March 22, 2024.

Get updates from the 2024 LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience website and follow the hashtag #LibLearnX24 and social media: ALA Twitter, @ALALibrary, ALA Facebook, and Instagram. 

Media interested in registering for the session may contact ALA's Communications, Marketing and Media Relations Office at cmomedia@ala.org.

About the American Library Association

The American Library Association (ALA) is the foremost national organization providing resources to inspire library and information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more than 140 years, the ALA has been the trusted voice for academic, public, school, government and special libraries, advocating for the profession and the library’s role in enhancing learning and ensuring access to information for all. For more information, visit ala.org.