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Girl Scouts from Troop 45502 setting up the LGBTQ YA display they designed in the Powell's Hawthorne store.

(Courtesy of Powell's Books)

In the day after a mass shooting killed 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, as people struggle to find explanations and ways to deal with the tragedy, comes the story of one group of girls trying to make a small change that could have a large impact.

Earlier today, Powell's Books shared a picture of a Cadette Girl Scout troop from Southeast Portland that is trying to help their LGBTQ peers feel represented and acknowledged through literature.

The troop is made up of three girls: Maxine Deibele, age 13, Talina Kretzinger, age 13 and Lily Warren, age 14.

As part of a project for Pride Month, Girl Scouts from Troop 45502 approached Powell's and asked if they could create a LGBTQ young adult display at the Hawthorne location. According to the Facebook post: "Passionate about LGBTQ issues, they wanted to celebrate Pride Month by making sure all their peers feel represented."

A mother from the troop, Theresa Deibele, says the girls chose the book project for their Silver Award, "which is the highest award a Cadette can earn and requires a collective 50 hours of work."

An employee at the Hawthorne store obliged, making space for the girls' picks and giving them "shelf talkers," which in bookseller-speak are the labels with recommendations and commentary you see under some books on the shelf.

Last Wednesday, the girls set up their section.

Girl Scouts from Troop 45502 in front of their book display.

The troop told Powell's that they want to show "people who are questioning, or LGBTQ+ that it's okay for them to be themselves," by showing them representations of themselves in literature. But the girls go further: "it also teaches straight cisgender teens that not only is it okay to be LGBTQ, but they can help other teens by being supportive."

The books the girls picked include "I'll Give You the Sun," by Jandy Nelson, "Two Boys Kissing," by David Levithan and "Lumberjanes," by Noelle Stevenson, Shannon Watters and Brooke Allen.

Girl Scouts from Troop 45502 setting up the LGBTQ YA display they designed in the Hawthorne store. Passionate about... Posted by Powell's Books, Inc. on Monday, June 13, 2016

This post was updated to include more information about the Girl Scout troop and their project.

-- Lizzy Acker

503-221-8052

lacker@oregonian.com, @lizzzyacker