Parkland College To Host ‘Human Library’ Event
The event allows readers to "borrow" real people from different backgrounds as "book"’ to chat about experiences ranging from violence and prejudice to stereotyping. The Parkland College Blog
Parkland's Diversity Committee and Office of Human Resources will host a "Human Library" event on April 5, from 1 to 3 p.m. The Human Library Organization started in Copenhagen as an anti-violence initiative in 2000 and is now worldwide.
The setting of Parkland's first-ever "Human Library" event will be an informal conversation. The audience member or "reader" will have an opportunity to listen to personal stories from people who have volunteered to serve as human "books" on loan, with time after the storytelling for questions and dialogue from the audience.
Some of the book titles include “Refugee,” “Broken behind the Badge,” “Muslim in America,” “Black & Queer,” and “Migrant Story,” among others.
One of the event organizers, Jessica Jackson, said they reached out to a diverse group of people whose voices may not often be heard, including people who identify as LGBTQ, are of different ethnicities, cultures and levels of ability.
The Human Library event is designed to make Parkland College a more inclusive and diverse environment, where people are not judged as one might judge a book by its cover. Instead, the real stories of these human books are meant to challenge stereotypes and prejudices through dialogue.
“It allows us to kind of have a better understanding of what folks are dealing with, what their lived experiences are. And it allows us to have an opportunity for connection, which is really important. That’s, you know, an in person, face-to-face connection,” Jackson said.
The event is open to the public. Event organizers ask that attendees register by emailing benefits@parkland.edu with the subject line “Human Library.” You will then receive a link to register online and select your books. They also ask that attendees come with an open mind.