Why Social Justice?
Why did I feel that it was important to create a resource on social justice for librarians and educators? I feel that, as human beings, we often make assumptions about people without necessarily stopping to consider their life experiences. Though I wouldn’t call anything in my life “extraordinary”, what I have experienced thus far has certainly molded me into the woman that I am today.
I identify myself as a Latina woman - I am Puerto Rican and Mexican. I am a first generation college graduate. I am a millennial, and I loved avocados before it was trendy to put them on toast!
Growing up Latina, I was aware of feeling like an “other” when my family moved from Chicago to a predominantly white suburb. There were so few Latino families in our community that our arrival doubled the Latino population. I was in 5th Grade when I was called a racial slur for the first time. In high school, I often felt like I was in social limbo because I rarely saw other students who looked like me taking honors classes. Other Latino students would tell me I was betraying my heritage by trying to act white.
In the summer prior to my freshman year of college, I was introduced to the concepts of Diversity and Social Justice during a pre-service teacher education camp through The Golden Apple Foundation. I worked with excellent educators, including Bill Ayers and Greg Michie, and found myself excited by becoming an “agent of change”. I was finally in an environment in which I was not made to feel like I was an “other” with something to prove. For the first time in my life, I felt emboldened to advocate for myself and to be an advocate for others.
Unfortunately, I did not experience the same sense of welcome and encouragement when I started college that fall. I attended a downstate university and was surprised to learn that, even on a supposedly diverse, well-rounded, and accepting college campus, I could still be subject to comments about my ethnic background. Some of my peers made derisive comments about how I was only helping the university meet some quota - to them, my skin color was what granted me admission. I gradually realized that, no matter how hard I worked, there would always be people at school and in my future job who would doubt me because I was a woman and not white.
I was a classroom teacher for five years and then began working at my library. Even though I had worked with large groups of young children, I was intimidated about leading storytime programming. I turned to blogs and websites like Jbrary, Storytime Katie, and Storytime Underground to help me plan my programs. In the process of carving out a spot for myself in library land, I began feeling a need to make a bigger impact. But how to begin?
The 2016 election made me realize I could not idly sit by as the world spun past me. This was the time to start planting seeds of change. I began learning all I could about incorporating social justice into storytime. To me, this wasn’t about making a political statement but rather stepping out purposefully to ensure that every single child and caregiver attending my storytimes would feel welcome at the library. Children who were like me - those who feel like they are “others” - should be able to see themselves in the books that I share in my storytimes. This path I am choosing will be how I can teach the next generation about kindness, tolerance, and empathy.
I identify myself as a Latina woman - I am Puerto Rican and Mexican. I am a first generation college graduate. I am a millennial, and I loved avocados before it was trendy to put them on toast!
Growing up Latina, I was aware of feeling like an “other” when my family moved from Chicago to a predominantly white suburb. There were so few Latino families in our community that our arrival doubled the Latino population. I was in 5th Grade when I was called a racial slur for the first time. In high school, I often felt like I was in social limbo because I rarely saw other students who looked like me taking honors classes. Other Latino students would tell me I was betraying my heritage by trying to act white.
In the summer prior to my freshman year of college, I was introduced to the concepts of Diversity and Social Justice during a pre-service teacher education camp through The Golden Apple Foundation. I worked with excellent educators, including Bill Ayers and Greg Michie, and found myself excited by becoming an “agent of change”. I was finally in an environment in which I was not made to feel like I was an “other” with something to prove. For the first time in my life, I felt emboldened to advocate for myself and to be an advocate for others.
Unfortunately, I did not experience the same sense of welcome and encouragement when I started college that fall. I attended a downstate university and was surprised to learn that, even on a supposedly diverse, well-rounded, and accepting college campus, I could still be subject to comments about my ethnic background. Some of my peers made derisive comments about how I was only helping the university meet some quota - to them, my skin color was what granted me admission. I gradually realized that, no matter how hard I worked, there would always be people at school and in my future job who would doubt me because I was a woman and not white.
I was a classroom teacher for five years and then began working at my library. Even though I had worked with large groups of young children, I was intimidated about leading storytime programming. I turned to blogs and websites like Jbrary, Storytime Katie, and Storytime Underground to help me plan my programs. In the process of carving out a spot for myself in library land, I began feeling a need to make a bigger impact. But how to begin?
The 2016 election made me realize I could not idly sit by as the world spun past me. This was the time to start planting seeds of change. I began learning all I could about incorporating social justice into storytime. To me, this wasn’t about making a political statement but rather stepping out purposefully to ensure that every single child and caregiver attending my storytimes would feel welcome at the library. Children who were like me - those who feel like they are “others” - should be able to see themselves in the books that I share in my storytimes. This path I am choosing will be how I can teach the next generation about kindness, tolerance, and empathy.
Defining Social Justice
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The Webster Dictionary defines Social Justice as "a state or doctrine of egalitarianism." It is a phrase that carries certain political connotations and can elicit a negative reaction in some communities.
For the purposes of this particular resource, I am going to define social justice as "advocating for human rights". Librarians and educators should feel called upon and empowered to be champions for human rights. Inclusion is not a political stance but rather to a decision to provide meaningful access to all, including by amplifying the voices of unheard members of the communities we serve. |
Social Justice & Children
Social justice themes in children’s literature do not need to be political to create teachable moments. The books selected for this resource are meant to build self-acceptance, tolerance, empathy, and kindness in children. They provide mirrors for children to see themselves and windows so that can see the lives of other children. These books are intended to help children and their caregivers to feel safe, welcome, and comfortable to discuss their feelings and thoughts. Additionally, these books and storytimes are meant to squash “otherhood” because we want to send the clear message to our communities that libraries are for everyone.
This Resource Guide
This Resource Guide is a work in progress. I chose to make this guide into a website so it could be a live and living document. It is my hope that this site can be a place where librarians and educators can learn from each other.
The author (me!) is similarly a joyful work in progress. I am an MLIS student, children’s library associate, and former classroom teacher who wants to make the world a kinder place.
The author (me!) is similarly a joyful work in progress. I am an MLIS student, children’s library associate, and former classroom teacher who wants to make the world a kinder place.
In the following pages, I share some children’s books that have social justice themes. I also share some tips for starting to incorporate social justice into storytime along with some of my storytime plans. The last page of this website shares resources that I have found to be particularly helpful: blogs, professional journal articles, websites, and YouTube videos. I would encourage you to start with resources within your own comfort zone and see how they guide your exploration with social justice in the library.
