Black Lives, Black Stories
Reading Lists compiled by Glendale Library, Arts & Culture staff:
Kids:
Ms. Vivian - Librarian at Casa Verdugo reading "Hands Up!" by Breanna J. McDaniel
Ms. Nicole - Librarian at Pacific Park Branch reading "Darkness" by Mildred Pitts Walter
Glendale Library, Arts & Culture and the City of Glendale are devastated by these events of racial injustice and human heartbreak throughout Los Angeles County and across the country. We share in the heartache, grief, and frustration from this incident.
Glendale’s commitment to inclusiveness, compassion, and mutual respect is the foundation for continuing to build upon a community where we hope future generations will never have to experience such injustices. To that end, we will strive--both in this moment of unrest, and going forward--to offer quality resources for all ages as we have always done, but with a thoughtful intent to amplify more Black stories, and the stories of other under-represented communities, to promote equality, awareness, and inclusion, and to support those looking to start difficult but necessary conversations.
At their best, books can serve as mirrors, reflecting and affirming our identities and experiences, as well as windows, building empathy with people, cultures, and experiences outside of our own. We’ve developed booklists that offer both for children – check out books on Black Identity and Black Experience. Parents and caregivers may find support in our Difficult Conversations list, with books that offer a starting place for hard but important conversations and action. You can also listen to this wonderful standalone story, and check out a playlist of additional videos here. We have also developed growing booklists for adults and teens that provide further education about the Black experience and how we can work to create a more just society.
The Library is a space for the whole community to come together, not just to read, but to learn, grow, and thrive. When we confront the role that systemic racism plays in our culture, and work to dismantle it in ways big and small, together we can all benefit from a more just, kind, and dynamic society.