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As we shared in April, Sammi Wu, a current BFA Illustration student and lifelong resident of Queens, was selected as the winner of the Queens Public Library’s first-ever Banned Books Library Card Design Contest. Her artwork has since been released as part of the library’s “Freedom to Read” campaign, and the limited-edition card is now in circulation across the borough.

Her winning illustration depicts five children riding the New York City subway together, immersed in the same oversized book, while familiar Queens landmarks along the MTA’s 7 line rise in the background—the Unisphere and the observation towers of the New York State Pavilion. One child wears a New York Mets cap, further connecting the scene to a specific place and community.

“I wanted to capture the essence of my childhood growing up in [Flushing] Queens,” she explains. “I was fortunate to live in a borough rich in diverse cultures—often referred to as the ‘world’s borough’ for good reason. The children in my design are inspired by my memories of the many friends I made during those years. In this scene, they all share a moment of connection by reading together, which highlights the power of books to break down boundaries and foster meaningful relationships.”

Wu’s roots in Flushing and her twin passions for books and film inform the visual storytelling at the heart of the card. 

“The freedom to read reflects the unique myriad of cultures that coexist in this community that I am proud to call home,” she adds. At the card’s launch event this fall, she underscored the formal mission behind the work: “Now, more than ever, it is crucial to stand against censorship, especially given the increasing number of book bans targeting marginalized communities and the recent limitations on access to libraries. It is a great honor to be chosen out of so many talented submissions and to be able to represent my borough.”

With Wu’s artwork now in wallets and library accounts around Queens, the card becomes more than a piece of design—it’s a mobile mural of the borough’s diverse readers, a visual shout-out to the idea that reading is a communal, civic act. As Wu continues her studies at SVA, she brings this sensitivity for detail and place into each piece, inviting viewers to pause, connect, and reflect.