[Libs-Or] On the fifth day of white privilege...

[Matthew Baiocchi]

...this old white guy said to me...


Five days talking about white privilege. Five! Why? 1) When we acknowledge our white privilege we realize systemic oppression is real. 2) When we realize systemic oppression is real we're able to do something about it. 3) I'm an old white guy and it's what I'm familiar with.


Let's...ahhh...just set aside #3 aside, shall we?


Libraries are white spaces.(1) What happens when we don't acknowledge that libraries are white spaces? What happens when we don't acknowledge our white privilege?


A very tragically common example of the failure of libraries at the national level: April Hathcock's abuse at and by ALA.(2)


A more recent example of failure at the local level: What is happening to the OLA President.(3)


Step 1 for white people? Believe. We have all the proof of systemic racism at every level, so when we hear it from our colleagues, be like Ted Lasso and Believe! I work at the same library Star works at, and without a doubt Star is one of the most amazing and tenacious librarians I know, and I've witnessed her experiencing so much racism in the seven years I've had the great privilege to work with her.


That's why we need to acknowledge our white privilege. When we acknowledge it...talk about it...do something about it...we begin to help make our BIPOC colleagues' lives better.


And that's why white people have to talk with each other about it - keep it in the front of our brains, at the top of our consciousness - because it's so easy for us to not see it...and it's so easy for us to ignore it...and it's so easy for us to contribute to systemic and individual racism.


So talk! Communicate! Email! Text! Semaphore! Be like Margaret and show encouragement.(4) Be like Anna and share what what you learn and try to inspire others.(5) Be like Holly and share how you learn.(6)




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1 - The White Space(PDF), https://sociology.yale.edu/sites/default/files/pages_from_sre-11_rev5_printer_files.pdf

2 - ALAMW: What Happened, and What Should Happen Next, https://aprilhathcock.wordpress.com/2019/01/30/alamw-what-happened-and-what-should-happen-next/

3 - Message from OLA Executive Officers, https://omls.oregon.gov/pipermail/libs-or/2023-March/020952.html

4 - https://omls.oregon.gov/pipermail/libs-or/2023-March/020957.html

5 - https://omls.oregon.gov/pipermail/libs-or/2023-March/020958.html

6 - https://omls.oregon.gov/pipermail/libs-or/2023-March/020963.html




Matthew Baiocchi
REFERENCE LIBRARIAN
__

City of Lincoln City  |  Driftwood Public Library
801 SW Hwy 101  |  PO Box 50  |  Lincoln City, OR
P: 541.996.1261  |  E: mbaiocchi at lincolncity.org<mailto:mbaiocchi at lincolncity.org>
W: Driftwoodlib.org | W: LincolnCity.org

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