[Libs-Or] The Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion issue of the OLA Quarterly is now available! Guest Editor: Elaine Hirsch

[Gesse Stark-Smith]

Hi All,

Thank you, Max, for bringing this to our listserv's attention and
courageously pointing out the bias in Ms. McNeil's article.

I'm also confused about the inclusion of this piece in the EDI issue. In
the introduction to the issue, the guest editor Elaine Hirsch writes: "This
issue shares the important work that a wide variety of libraries are doing
to help create equitable and inclusive communities in Oregon." Ms. McNeil's
article does not share important work that is happening to make libraries
more inclusive, rather it shares the perspective of an individual who is
struggling with these concepts and critiquing those who are doing this
important work. (As Max has pointed out, BIOPOC are so often told what they
can/cannot say in these and so many other spaces.) This is a pervasive
perspective in our society and not one that needs an additional
platform--especially in an issue with the above stated purpose.

I'm wondering if the editors of the OLA quarterly plan to address this.
Perhaps, by publishing a letter to the editor or a future article on this
topic? Please keep me posted.

Sincerely,
Gesse Stark-Smith





On Thu, Oct 31, 2019 at 12:01 PM Max Macias <max.macias at gmail.com> wrote:

> Except for the article by Heather McNeil, in which they attack indigenous
> scholar Dr. Debbie Reese and other scholars who are doing anti-racist work!
>
> <http://goog_422301605>
> https://commons.pacificu.edu/olaq/vol25/iss2/12
>
> In fact, I find it deeply offensive to be spoken down to by a white woman
> of privilege about how to do EDI and anti-racist work 'right.'
>
> Or maybe that article is written for white people,,,?
>
> I'm confused.
>
>
> Your article belittled Dr. Reese and others in the field who have moved
> beyond begging for inclusion and also moved beyond the corpus of
> traditionally white racist literature for children in the US.  This
> literature does much to reproduce the racism that permeates our country.
> We are in dire need of AUTHENTIC representation and AUTHENTIC critiques of
> the traditionally white racist literature that we swim in and were raised
> within.  The best people to do these critiques are BIPOC and people from
> other oppressed groups.  Your article is an attack on these scholars.
>
> Dr. Reese's groundbreaking work is a harbinger of what is to come.
>
> BIPOC are constantly told how they should speak, behave, think and believe
> by white people and those days are now numbered...
>
> This article is disturbing, offensive and racist.
>
> It is sad because there are some other really good articles in this issue.
>
>
>
> Max Macias
>
>
>
>
> On Tue, Oct 29, 2019 at 7:08 AM Max Macias <max.macias at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Great work Everyone.
>>
>>
>> Thank you!
>>
>> Max
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Oct 28, 2019 at 6:23 PM Charles Wood <wuchakewu at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> The Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion issue of the OLA Quarterly is now
>>> available! The Guest Editor is Elaine Hirsch, Associate Director of Watzek
>>> Library at Lewis & Clark College and our current OLA President. Please
>>> download and read it here: https://commons.pacificu.edu/olaq/vol25/iss2/
>>> This year EDI is a specific area of focus for the Oregon Library
>>> Association, and there will be many opportunities for OLA members to engage
>>> in related efforts and conversations. The best place to start is to read
>>> this issue! See if you know someone who wrote about their EDI work! :)
>>> UX note: The links in this issue may work better if the reader downloads
>>> it into an Adobe DC Reader. The table of contents is clickable.
>>>
>>> Best wishes,
>>> Charles Wood
>>> OLA Communications
>>>
>>

-- 
Gesse Stark-Smith
Community Outreach Librarian
Multnomah County Library
503-988-4679
gesses at multco.us

Pronouns: She/Her
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