Thank you so much for your interest in supporting Race Project KC, an initiative of Johnson County Library. We extend our deepest gratitude to you. We believe that twenty-first century libraries must be pillars of safety, inclusion, diversity and democracy for the communities we serve. With the unprecedented impact of COVID-19 and the past months revealing the all-too-familiar horrific murders related to racism’s enduring harm and deep roots in our country, we feel a renewed responsibility to offer this opportunity to area high school students, their teachers, and the general community. Please consider some of the ways below to join us in our anti-racist work in ourselves and Kansas City.
As Ibram X. Kendi has taught us, people are not racist or antiracist, ideas and actions are. The same person can do something racist one moment and antiracist the next. The heart of antiracism work is self-examination, figuring out what I do to contribute to and perpetuate racist systems and learning how to do the opposite. It is constantly looking in the mirror to build more self-awareness, seeking the stories of history and the oppressed to gain more knowledge, and learning what behaviors and actions make a difference. There is no destination where full antiracism has been truly achieved, only an ongoing struggle of continuous improvement toward realizing it more fully. It is always and forever about working on yourself first. We are able to offer you the options outlined below, but we can only do so much. Don't depend on us to do your own work. Take what we offer and find ways to make it your own, and don't wait for us if you're ready to move before we are. Start with yourself.
Students and Teachers
Take Independent Action - Visit our Resources page for an extensive list of experiences, books, websites, and more you can explore on your own or with others. Also consider our special feature on Covid-19, collecting articles of note with an emphasis on Kansas City.
Students - If you are a student, we are excited to hear from you! To get your school involved, your first step is to find a teacher sponsor. Many of our schools participate through a diversity club, BSU or LSU, so that might be a good place to start. If you have questions or need help, don’t hesitate to reach out to us jcl-raceproject@jocogov.org.
Teachers - We are currently in the midst of our events for the 2020-21 school year with four cohorts of eleven high schools, those whose events were cut short when the pandemic hit, offering a fully virtual set of experiences this time around. The library collaborates with educators, subject experts, authors, and community partners to provide these experiences. After we build and use the materials for our events, we are sharing them on our Activities & Materials page for those who would like to use them independently. Take a look. If you are interested in participating in a future cohort, please contact us at jcl-raceproject@jocogov.org. We anticipate accepting applications for new cohorts for the 2021-22 school year in late spring or summer.
Community Members
Take Independent Action - Visit our Resources page for an extensive list of experiences, books, websites, and more you can explore on your own or with others. Also consider our special feature on Covid-19, collecting articles of note with an emphasis on Kansas City.
Donate - Donating to Race Project KC is something that can be done via our Library Foundation’s Website at jocolibraryfoundation.org/donate. Please note Race Project KC in the "In Honor Of" field of the donation form to direct your funds to this initiative. Our Foundation also takes calls at 913-826-4740 if one would prefer to donate via credit card over the phone.
Volunteer - At this time we do not have a volunteer program, but we do know of several amazing youth-serving organizations that could use your help.
Anytown KC is a summer program that brings high schoolers from across the metro together for a week of relationship building, introspection, and education about systemic racism, sexism, heteronormativity, and ableism. Due to the pandemic they have postponed their activities to later this summer or early fall. They are always looking for volunteers and you can follow them on Facebook.
Youth Ambassadors is a mentoring and employment program for underserved youth. They use volunteers to share valuable skills with teens, participate in mock interview days, and more. They are community led and youth focused.
And please consider the list of partners we have worked with and similar youth serving organizations in the community at the bottom of our Donate page, many of whom also need volunteers.
