Helping Students Grow An Anti-Racism Library
ABOUT THE PROJECT
Girl Friday teamed up with two local organizations to augment the book selection at an Anti-Racism Lending Library in Tacoma, Washington. Our goal was to support this student-led effort with books that equip kids with ways to engage in meaningful dialogues about the history of race and systemic expressions of racism. With content reflecting a full range of minority experiences, emotions, and themes and a reading list designed by the students, this library plants the sparks of activism in our youth as well as offers a deep sense of belonging for every reader.
Tacoma School of the Arts (SOTA)
In 2020, a high school history teacher founded a donation-based Anti-Racism Lending Library at the Tacoma School of the Arts public high school. Since its grassroots inception, the library has become a project spearheaded entirely by students, who curate and manage the library and associated book club events.
Parable Bookshop
Parable is a family-owned, community-owned, Black-owned, women-owned independent bookstore in the McKinley Hill area of Tacoma. Founded in 2020 as a community space that offers events and products that affirm the members of their diverse neighborhood, Parable has thrived through the pandemic with the enthusiastic support of their community.
THE IMPACT
Together with our community, Girl Friday raised over 300 books for the library. A group of students took a celebratory field trip to pick them up and meet their local bookseller. A huge thanks to the GFP community for participating in this event!