Keno Catabay, University of Colorado Boulder
Shauntee Burns-Simpson, District of Columbia Public Libraries
Join us in this workshop as we explore sustainable strategies to combat racial inequities in libraries. Speakers represent librarians of color across five national associations. This interactive session is designed to engage library workers in academic and public libraries in the critical discourse of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIA/J) within the context of “Sustainable Resistance and Restoration in Global Communities.” It is our hope that providing a space to exchange experiences of racial inequity will bring to light unique issues that our most vulnerable demographics face while working in libraries. This workshop provides a space to resolve some of these issues. All experiences, from visceral acts of racism to microaggressions, are encouraged for discussion. A group activity allows participants to reflect on their experiences and perspectives. Participants then share their insights with colleagues at their table and with the larger audience, fostering a collaborative learning environment. After a short break, we delve into our organization’s survey findings conducted at a recent national conference. The demographics of our survey participants have implications for our profession’s DEIA/J work. Our workshop culminates in an action planning segment where participants help one another in developing sustainable resistance strategies at their respective institutions. The session concludes by reinforcing our–as librarians of color–collective commitment to DEIA/J.