Antiracism Resources
"Systemic racism is a deeply ingrained and societal issue and it can neither be supported nor tolerated—not in our city, not anywhere." — Mayor Denny Doyle, 6/4/20
"We stand with the ALA and our library colleagues everywhere in opposing racism and violence against people of color." — Post on BCL’s Facebook page, 6/3/20
The library’s mission states: “The mission of the library is to foster community and enrich the lives of individuals through learning, engagement and connection.”
We are fortunate to serve a community in which one in three individuals self-identifies as a ‘person of color,’ where one in five residents was born outside the United States and where more than a hundred languages are spoken by the families of children attending Beaverton schools.
As such, we all have an obligation to support our neighbors of color and to do our part in providing educational materials to help inform ourselves and members of the community about historic and present-day racism and injustices to Black people and all people of color in our country, state and community.
Below you will find a variety of information and educational resources designed for that purpose. It is our hope that they will help each of us grow in our understanding of these issues and bring us to a place of greater tolerance and understanding of our respective roles in perpetuating the status quo, whether intentionally, or unintentionally. And to grow stronger and more united as a community and truly provide ‘justice for all,’ as we say in the ‘Pledge of Allegiance.’
Glenn Ferdman
Director
Beaverton City Library, 6/5/20
More Resources
Anti-racism Resources Writer Alyssa Klein and activist and filmmaker Sarah Sophie Flicker compiled a public google doc with over 75 anti-racism resources for white people and parents to deepen their anti-racism work.
City of Beaverton Cultural Inclusion Program The mission of the program is to help the City of Beaverton become increasingly welcoming, inclusive, representative, and responsive to historically underrepresented and underserved communities, particularly communities of color, immigrants, and refugees.
New Era of Public Safety: An Advocacy Toolkit for Fair, Safe, and Effective Community Policing from the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. (Please note: the statistics reported in the above toolkit are not representative of the practices of the Beaverton Police Department. For statistical data on Beaverton Police Department’s disparate treatment complaints, traffic stop data, policies and other activities use this link.)
Racial Equity Resources from WCCLS
BCL’s anti-racism resources for kids and teens.