RUAR Opens Little Free Antiracist Library in Petaluma
On Sunday, March 20th, Rise Up Against Racism opened its newest Little Free Antiracist Library. It is our first in Sonoma County, and it is located at PPSC Mentor Me at the Cavanagh Recreation Center: a beloved regional institution that serves Petaluma youth with academic, social, and recreational programming.
Petaluma Little Free Antiracist Library steward Beth Green (right) was joined by PPSC Executive Director, Elece Hempel at the March 20th opening.
Our steward, Beth Green, enthusiastically engaged with members of her community and received tremendous support from neighbors and friends who donated to her GoFundMe campaign. Her activism is fueled by her determination to help build inclusive spaces and centers on the question: “What am I doing to make racial equality a reality?” We are inspired by Beth’s passion and grateful for her partnership with Rise Up Against Racism.
The commissioned artist of the Petaluma Little Free Antiracist Library is Blane Asrat. Blane is an Ethiopian born artist, currently residing in the Bay Area. She believes that artists are agents of transformation and that her work is always political. Blane shared this about the Library: “I wanted to work with the theme of upwards momentum, but as a communal effort rather than an individual pursuit.” Included on the Library is a quote from the Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winning author, Toni Morrison: “If you are free, you need to free somebody else. If you have some power, then your job is to empower somebody else” which serves as a powerful reminder of our continued work to create a more just world. We love that this Little Free Antiracist Library invites readers of all ages to learn and take action while also serving as a beautiful and inspiring piece of community art.
To find this and all of our Little Free Antiracist Libraries, visit our locations page. Visit this library, borrow a book, but don’t forget to bring it back to keep these important titles circulating in our communities. Want to help us keep more books circulating in our community? Set up a recurring donation to help fund our replenishment efforts.