Eastern to host 'Human Library'

Human Library

The J. Eugene Smith Library in partnership with the Office of Equity and Diversity and the Arthur L. Johnson Unity Wing will host a "human library" on April 12 from 1-5 p.m. Eastern students, faculty and staff from marginalized groups will present themselves as books in a library, sharing their personal stories and unique experiences with readers.

The Human Library is a global movement for social change that began in Denmark in 2000. It is a forum for conversations with the opportunity to challenge prejudices and promote understanding within a diverse community.

"Books" are individuals who volunteer to share their experiences in order to break down barriers surrounding race, religion, sexual orientation, class, gender, identity, lifestyle choices, disability status and other aspects of life. "Readers” will select a book to sit down with and have a conversation about issues they might otherwise never have.

Books can represent a variety of experiences from such backgrounds as Muslim, homeless, lesbian, refugee, transgender, autistic, bi-polar, ex-offender, PTSD, down syndrome, Jewish, dyslexic, gay, teenage mother, police officer, facial tattoos, recovering alcoholic and more.

Librarians will help readers select a book. Readers will then move to one of the tables in the Reading Room, where multiple conversations will be held simultaneously. Conversations may last up to 30 minutes.

The Human Library provides the opportunity for the Eastern community to share and understand the experiences of others. To be a part of the Human Library and share your story, visit https://easternct.libguides.com/humanlibrary. To learn more visit www.humanlibrary.org.

Written by Bobbi Brown

Categories: Unity Wing, Library, Equity/Diversity