Dads Read:I am Black History

Sponsored by The Friends of the Marina Library. Join us as we celebrate Black history! One month isn’t enough time to explore the wide range of stories that exist but we intend to try: https://focmc.org/events/2018/dadsreadblackhistoryAt the beginning of the The Friends of the Marina Library's Little Kids Block Party (starts at 10am and ends at 11:30am) local dad, Sydney Smith from Families of Color Monterey County and Dads of Monterey County will be reading a few specially selected children's books celebrating Black history."Representation in literature is essential for children of all races. For children of color, seeing themselves reflected in the books they read is crucial. When they fail to see themselves in books, they internalize the message that society devalues and erases them, and it can negatively affect their self-esteem. For white children, having books that accurately reflect the world around them helps to build empathy for people that are different from them, and helps open up discussions about race and oppression." — The Children’s Book World Is Still Racially Biased by Britni De La Cretaz:https://www.kveller.com/childrens-book-world-is-getting-better-but-still-racially-biased/"Our country put policies and laws in place that helped create systemic racism. The public library is a trusted institution and can help to create and model responsible, responsive governmental change. As a professional, institutional responsibility starts with me. I was at a breaking point with seeing black pain spread across the news, watching my community suffer, and thinking, 'What will the lives of my future children look like?' What could I do to help make the world a better place for future generations? Libraries have a long history of social action. If the library is about building community and inclusion then they have to address racial injustice."— Jessica Anne Bratt of #Libraries4BlackLives: http://libraries4blacklives.org/ More details on our website: https://focmc.org/dads-read/Interested in being the featured dad at our Dads Read? Check out the Community Guidelines to get a feel for who we are and the work we do:https://focmc.org/featured-dad/