Reads Together: All Black Kids' Author This Afternoon

Arlington MA

24 March, 2021

2:54 PM

Description

Your Arlington Last Updated: 21 March 2021 Written by Anna Litten, Assistant Director of Libraries UPDATED, March 4: In March, Robbins Library and the Arlington Education Foundation welcome Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, author of the 2021 Arlington Reads Together selection Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria. Library visitors can pick up copies at the Robbins during drop-in pickup hours, or request a copy by phone. Copies are available via the Minuteman Library Network catalog. Thanks to a grant from the Arlington Libraries Foundation additional copies of the book are available as digital downloads via the Digital Collection and Libby app. Events, book discussions and more take place throughout March. A full schedule of events and programs will be available at robbinslibrary.org. 'Conversation on Race' The author is scheduled to present "A Conversation on Race and Racism with Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum" at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 21, to held on Zoom and live-streamed on ACMi and Facebook Live. Those who wish to participate in the Zoom conversation with Tatum on Sunday, March 21, should register here >> Tatum, president emerita of Spelman College, is a clinical psychologist widely known for both her expertise on race relations. She is author of several books, including the best-selling "Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?" and Other Conversations About Race (now in a 2017 20th anniversary edition) and Can We Talk About Race? and Other Conversations in an Era of School Resegregation (2007). Tatum is a sought-after speaker on the topics of racial identity development, race and education, strategies for creating inclusive campus environments, and higher education leadership. Tatum holds a B.A. in psychology from Wesleyan University and M.A. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Michigan as well as an M.A. in Religious Studies from Hartford Seminary. Her distinguished career includes positions at many colleges and universities. The Arlington Education Foundation joins longtime ART sponsors the Arlington Libraries Foundation and the Friends of the Robbins Library in sponsoring the 2021 program. 'Thrilled' Assistant Director of Libraries Anna Litten says, "We're thrilled AEF is partnering with the library to support this year's community read. The AEF mission to 'support and advance public education in Arlington' ties in so well to the book. " Julia Schilling, co-president of AEF, adds "Arlington Education Foundation is incredibly proud to support ART 2021, particularly as this year's book choice relates to student experiences in a racially mixed school district and encourages honest, sensitive dialogue about racial and ethnic identities," "We are honored to bring Dr. Tatum to Arlington," says Director of Libraries Andrea Nicolay, "Necessary conversations on race are taking place in our community and across the country, and this year's read provides a new focus for this topic in Arlington. This program also furthers the town's Racial Equity Action Plan goal of fostering a safer and more equitable community." Superintendent of Schools Kathleen Bodie said, "Dr. Tatum's research on how students develop their racial identity is integral to understanding how to create an anti-racist learning environment for all of our students. It also provides us a foundation for having a community conversation about the many forms of racism that still plague our society." The Arlington Reads Together community read program launched in 2002 as a way of bringing the community together through literature. The goal is to address issues, understand differences and create connections through the shared experience of reading. A committee of library staff and community volunteers select the ART title. Reads Together: Events and Discussions PLUG iN to TRUE STORY THEATER: "Who am I? And how did I find out" Sharin stories of identityZoom program, register at eventbrite.com >>Wednesday, March 3, 7 p.m. In this collaborative workshop, participants can examine core identities. What are the categories you use to define yourself? What are ones that may be used or placed on you by the world? When do these identities create a sense of belonging? When might they be used to create "otherness"? When have you experienced stereotyping in the face of an identity? When have you broken through stereotypes placed on ourselves or others? Why do we take time to look at our own identities in pursuit of greater racial and social justice? Let's create a courageous and compassionate space to share about this very personal experience that is deeply influenced and shaped by our society. Read more about True Story Theater and Playback Theater at truestorytheater.com/about-us/playback-theatre/. Everyone Belongs: METCO in Arlington, A Conversation with Margaret Thomas Zoom event, register at artmetco.eventbrite.comMonday, March 8, u7 p.m. Jillian Harvey, town diversity, equity and inclusion director, hosts a conversation with Margaret Credle Thomas, Director of the Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity (METCO) Program in Arlington. Thomas has led the program for the past 8 years and has gained significant insight into the experiences of students of color in town. Thomas and Harvey will discuss the history of the METCO program, its impact in Arlington, and Thomas' unique role in leading the program and supporting students of color, as well as the experiences Boston-resident students face navigating the challenges and concept of belonging to a community--as an outsider. SpeakOUT: Intersecting Queer IdentitiesZoom event, register https://artspeakout.eventbrite.comThursday, March 11, 7 p.m. The Robbins Library Queer Book Group/Social is proud to host a panel discussion where LGBTQ+ people of color will share personal stories exploring the intersections of their identities. SpeakOUT Boston tells the stories of LGBTQ+ lives to raise awareness and create safer spaces for LGBTQ+ people by opening up a dialogue with its audiences. Support for this program comes from Arlington's Rainbow Commission. The Friends of Robbins Library Present: Tim Hall, Trust the ProcessFacebook Live, also airing on ACMi's Public ChannelSunday, March 28, 3 p.m. Tim Hall brings you Trust The Process - performance about creative expression, self love, and artistic exploration. Tim Hall is an award winning musician and performance poet from Detroit, MI, now residing in Boston. His poetry draws inspiration from his lived experiences - charting the nuances of blackness, masculinity, and the beauties of life. He's an Assistant Professor in the Professional Music Department at Berklee College of Music, won Session Musician of the Year by the Boston Music Awards 2020, received a 2019 Artist Luminary Award from local youth arts non-profit Zumix, and was honored by WBUR's Artery 25 as 1 of 25 millennials of color impacting Arts and Culture in Boston. Hall's virtual performance will be followed by a live Q&A. For Children, Teens, and Families Quest: An Intimate Portrait of an African-American FamilyMovie event, register https://questmoviescreening.eventbrite.comThursday, March 18, 3 p.m. Beginning at the dawn of the Obama presidency, Christopher "Quest" Rainey, and his wife, Christine'a "Ma Quest" raise a family while nurturing a community of hip hop artists in their home music studio. It's a safe space where all are welcome, but this creative sanctuary can't always shield them from the strife that grips their neighborhood. Targeted for Grades 6 and up and their families. What Is Racism?: A Workshop for Kids With Wee the PeopleZoom event, register at https://weethepeoplewhatisracism320.eventbrite.comSaturday, March 20, 10:30 a.m. Kids notice a LOT -- including skin color. They sense that it matters, and they have questions about how and why. Together we will explore how racism isn't just one thing, but a system with many parts working together. Through activities, kids will learn how they can help challenge and disrupt these systems. Geared for kids ages 6-10. This program is supported by the Russell Fund. Book Groups and Discussions We thank Dr. Tatum for providing a discussion guide: beverly-daniel-tatum-book-group-discussion-guide-1 for the community. Download a copy for yourself or your book group. Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting In the Cafeteria Together, The Introduction Zoom event, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for meeting linkThursday, March 4, noon Join this roundtable discussion focusing on the introduction to the ART book. Dr. Tatum quotes James Baldwin "Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced." In this discussion we hope to discuss questions about race and society as these conversations are often hard to begin. What Questions Do We Have? Zoom event, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for meeting linkTuesday, March 16, 6 p.m. Join us for a roundtable discussion of Dr. Tatum's book before her visit to the community. At this meeting, we'll discuss the book, and think about follow up questions to pose to Dr. Tatum during her visit on March 21. Wrap Up Discussion: Who am I? Who are you? Who are we?Zoom event, register at https://artwhoami.eventbrite.comThursday, March 25, 7 p.m. Facilitated book discussion with Arlington resident B. Joanna Chen. Participants will be prompted to reflect on their own identities and share their takeaways from Dr. Tatum's work. B. Joanna Chen is a long-time library lover and a more recent Arlington resident. She holds a bachelor's in English and Sociology with a minor in Inequality Studies and Asian American Studies from Cornell University. She received her MFA in Poetry from the University of Oregon, where her work focused on identity, family history, belonging, and what it means to occupy--and broaden--interstitial spaces. As the LeadBoston Program Associate at YW Boston, an organization dedicated to empowering women and eliminating racism, she supports YW's inclusive leadership program. Questions can be directed to Anna Litten at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 781-316-3202. YourArlington.com has provided news and opinion about Arlington, Mass., since 2006. Publisher Bob Sprague is a former editor at The Boston Globe, Boston Herald and Arlington Advocate. Read more at https://www.yourarlington.com/about.