Lowrider Librarian

 I was honored to be be selected to speak at San Jose State's Information School last month. San Jo is my hometown and it was super cool to be able to speak at SJSU! I hope you enjoy this. Comments encouraged! Special thanks to Dr. Michele Villagran and San Jose State!

  [Please share widely!] Greetings! Librarians with Spines is proud to bring you another outstanding author showcase recording! Dr. Miguel Juarez, Rebecca Hankins and Jina Duvernay (Librarians with Spines authors) interviewed Anthony Bishop and Kael Moffat (Librarians with Spines authors) on 8/24/2020. Topics discussed: Whiteness in LIS Ethnographies Recruitment of BIPOC into LIS careers Many other LIS topics relevant to students, librarians, library workers and others. Here is the link! https://www. librarianswithspines.com/post/ librarians-with-spines-author- showcase-3-1 Respectfully, 

"Anti-racism is the active process of identifying and eliminating racism by changing systems, organizational structures, policies and practices and attitudes, so that power is redistributed and shared equitably." - NAC International Perspectives: Women and Global Solidarity   Here are three Anti-racist actions you can take today in your library: Give your library policies an anti-racist audit. Form a group from different stakeholders at your library.   Recruit individuals from the administration of your organization, your union and your HR department--if possible. Pick a simple policy, practice or procedure to analyze. Notify any stakeholders who might not be included yet about your intent to audit the policy, practice or procedure.   Crowdsource your analysis on a zoom whiteboard, or Google Doc, or something that makes collaboration easier.  Present your findings to the group who owns said policy, practice or procedure.   Ask for feedback fr...

My heroes call out to me from across time Some call out from hundreds of years ago I can hear some from just yesterday My heroes call out to me and make my heart strong They are our alternative narrative Calling out our history Calling out our enemies Calling out our allies Calling out our resistance My heroes call out to me and I listen They are part of what makes our culture great They are the true Americans Calling out hatred makes us stronger My heroes call out that shit What if Huey P. Newton hadn't called out? What if Rosa Parks hadn't called out? What if John Trudell hadn't not called out? What if Malcolm X hadn't called out? What if Audre Lorde hadn't called out? What if Larry Itliong hadn't called out? What if we don't call out? My heroes call out to me  

There is a split in libraries.  The split is on the question if Nazis and other racists  can use their rights to terrorize their fellow citizens and still be welcome in our libraries. Racist 'free speech' is a tradition that has been used to create an atmosphere of hate a violence against POC in the US. Of course this is not how this discussion is framed, nor how it is approached in the library community--which is immersed in a culture of Whiteness. It is described as a matter of "Free Speech."  I would agree, but I would clarify this by stating it is a matter of White people's right to terrorize their fellow citizens by using speech which creates an environment of terror for POC in the US. "Jews will NOT replace us!"  is terrifying enough for me to hear, but then I think of the utter terror and alarm it must be raising in my Jewish friends--I share their terror. "All lives matter!" Yelled at my Black friends who are holding a sign...