Last night we had a Zoom library board special meeting to do anti-racist training. It’s funny — I do think and read and even teach about this stuff a lot, but still, I think I learned some things about myself last night. Setting aside time to work through issues and language as a group, with a knowledgeable facilitator, is so helpful — honestly, I suspect we could all use much more of this in our workplaces, community orgs, and just generally.
Reesheda Graham Washington compassionately but firmly led us through a self-examination and strategy process, which should help the board support our library in improving our anti-racist practices moving forward, helping to dismantle the structures of white supremacy that poison so much of the very air we breathe.
(Among other things, last night I got a little more comfortable just saying ‘anti-racist’ and ‘white supremacy.’ It’s sort of startling how even now, I still have internal resistance to using that kind of language. What if it makes people mad? Um, maybe we should be making people mad…)
Thank you to library director David J. Seleb and library board president Matt Fruth for being such strong supporters of this work, and to our entire board for participating in challenging work with vulnerability, strength, and whole-heartedness.
(Pic from the previous board meeting, where Reesheda was giving us the results of her study of the library. Back in the olden days, when we still met in person…)
