Em's Ever Evolving Erudition

Scenario:   There are so many new books out there.  It can be hard to decide which books to purchase based on your budget.  As a new librarian, my mentee is learning how to make these selections.  I envision this task being an easy start to having a conversation about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion because it is direct outward for the self.  Once these topics are internalized, turning towards their own practices can be examined.    Activating and Engaging Phase To start our conversation, I would invite my mentee to reflect on their thought process when selecting books.  What resources are they using?  I would also invite a reflection on the books on display.  What was the thought process on selecting these books?  What does the librarian notice?  I would also ask about prior experience with examining identity or anti-bias type training to identify any prior knowledge.   Exploring and Discovering Phase During th...

I have a good friend Jenny, whose daughter shared a reflection on her upbringing. She shared with her mom how she was never taught about race nor was it ever mentioned at all in their household. This reflection came when her daughter started dating a black woman. Her daughter wanted to make sure that her parents were going to treat her partner with respect and not let any hidden biases affect their relationship. This revelation was a huge surprise and a huge catalyst for change for Jenny. She realized how her white privilege had led to her being able to not talk about race with her children. She could completely ignore it. But also she is an educator so she also saw how she was ignoring it with her students too. This has led to her becoming a change agent in her school and community in how the school is addressing issues like race, gender, sexuality, and other marginalized groups. Once a month, she gathered a group to read, watch, and discuss these issues within our community...