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I have been thinking about this Bookworm for a few days now. I have writing it over and over again in my head. When I left the house this morning I told my family that this one might get me fired, and if not, it will surely draw complaints. So with that frightening note, I want to remind you that these are my words.
I am sick about what is going on. I am at a loss on what to say, words that have been repeated again and again just don’t seem to cut it.
If you think there is not a problem, you are so wrong. This week I overheard 2 things that I don’t want to repeat, but I think it is necessary. 1. “Why are they so upset, they fired the guy.” 2. “We have black people here, but they are good black/white people.”
1. “They”, WE are upset because this continues to happen. 2. If you think adding “white” to describe someone makes them better in some way, then you suck. Yep, I struggled with how to finish that sentence and that was the nicest thing I could come up with.
“A riot is the language of the unheard.” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. After King said this he followed it with a rhetorical question, “What is it that America has failed to hear?” Hmmm, this was said in 1967 and deaf ears still prevail. Shame on us.
The only upside of this, the people who are listening. To the momma who messaged me and asked for books to share with her children, I am moved by your love for all and that you know how important your role is for your boys. I have talked about using books to learn about others over and over again. It starts at home. It starts the day you bring your baby home.
“Representation matters: Exposure to different people and beliefs encourages empathy, acceptance, and perspective-taking. When you encourage diversity in your children’s books early, you facilitate their social-emotional intelligence.” – Alyson Aadro – Business Insider
The library has books for all of us. Books that my sweet momma friend realizes are vital.
I have so many more things to say, more arguments to be made, more calling out to do, but I have decided to go a different route, with this disclosure, “this is not a cop problem, this is a human race problem.”
“The rate at which black Americans are killed by police is more than twice as high as the rate for white Americans. This is a non-comprehensive list of deaths at the hands of police in the U.S. since Eric Garner’s death in July 2014.”
LA Johnson/NPR
SAY THEIR NAME
ERIC GARNER – JOHN CRAWFORD III – MICHAEL BROWN – EZELL FORD – DANTE PARKER – MICHELLE CUSSEAUX – LAQUAN MCDONALD – TANISHA ANDERSON – AKAI GURLEY – TAMIR RICE – RUMAIN BRISBON -JERAME REID – GEORGE MANN – MATTHEW AJIBADE – FRANK SMART – NATASHA MCKENNA – TONY ROBINSON – ANTHONY HILL – MYA HALL – PHILLIP WHITE – ERIC HARRIS – WALTER SCOTT WILLIAM CHAPMAN II – ALEXIA CHRISTIAN – BRENDON GLENN – VICTOR MANUEL LAROSA – JONATHAN SANDERS – – BLUE – JOSEPH MANN – SALVADO ELLSWOOD – SANDRA BLAND -ALBERT JOSEPH DAVIS – DARRIUS STEWART – BILLY RAY DAVIS – SAMUEL DUBOSE – MICHAEL SABBIE – BRIAN KEITH DAY – CHRISTIAN TAYLOR
TROY ROBINSON – ASSHAMS PHAROAH MANLEY – FELIX KUMI – KEITH HARRISON MCLEOD – JUNIOR PROSPER – LAMONTEZ JONES – PATERSON BROWN – DOMINIC HUTCHINSON – ANTHONY ASHFORD – ALONZO SMITH – TYREE CRAWFORD – INDIA KAGER – LA’VANTE BIGGS – MICHAEL LEE MARSHALL – JAMAR CLARK – RICHARD PERKINS – NATHANIEL HARRIS PICKETT – BENNI LEE TIGNOR – MIGUEL ESPINAL – MICHAEL NOEL – KEVIN MATTHEWS – BETTIE JONES – QUINTONIO LEGRIER – KEITH CHILDRESS JR .- JANET WILSON – RANDY NELSON – ANTRONIE SCOTT – WENDELL CELESTINE – DAVID JOSEPH – CALIN ROQUEMORE – DYZHAWN PERKINS – CHRISTOPHER DAVIS – MARCO LOUD – PETER GAINES – TORREY ROBINSON – DARIUS ROBINSON – KEVIN HICKS – MARY TRUXILLO – DEMARCUS SEMER – WILLIE TILLMAN – TERRILL THOMAS – SYLVILLE SMITH – ALTON STERLING – PHILANDO CASTILE – TERENCE CRUTCHER – PAUL O’NEAL – ALTERIA WOODS – JORDAN EDWARDS – AARON BAILEY – RONELL FOSTER – STEPHON CLARK – ANTWON ROSE II -BOTHAM JEAN – PAMELA TURNER – DOMINIQUE CLAYTON – ATATIANA JEFFERSON – CHRISTOPHER WHITFIELD – CHRISTOPHER MCCORVEY – ERIC REASON – MICHAEL LORENZO DEAN -BREONNA TAYLOR
GEORGEFLOYD
Upcoming Events: Onsite delivery of SRP activities on Thursday, Gravois Access 4-4:30, Stover 5:00-5:30. 6/11 at 4pm Teen Book Discussion on Zoom. 6/12 Adult Writing Prompt at 10am. 6/13 at 10:30am STEAM (ages 7-12) and LEGO (13-17). 6/13 at 6:30pm Adult Craft. Story Walk continues at the Stover and Versailles City Park. Story Time and teen fan fiction writing prompt, Wednesday at 10:00am.