Power Up! Civic Awareness with the Free Library - Hosted by Dr. Aaron Smith!

This fall, the Free Library of Philadelphia is teaming up with Temple University’s Dr. Aaron Smith, an Assistant Professor of Africology and African American Studies, to present an enlightening six-part series titled “Power Up!”

These six workshops aim to equip Philadelphians with the knowledge and tools to become more involved in their communities. From understanding citizenship rights to exploring the workings of democracy, each session is designed to spark meaningful discussions and inspire action.

Here’s a glimpse of what you can expect:

Citizenship: Privileges, Rights, and Responsibilities

Kick off Civic Awareness Month by learning about the fundamentals of citizenship. Learn about your rights and responsibilities and how you can play an active role in shaping your community.
When: Saturday, September 7 at 11:00 a.m.
Where: Lillian Marrero Library

Democracy is an Action Word

Discover how you can be a force for change in local, state, and federal governments. This session will explore ways to become politically empowered and engaged.
When: Tuesday, September 10 at 5:30 p.m.
Where: Joseph E. Coleman Northwest Regional Library

We the People

Elections matter—especially local ones. In this session, discuss how local elections impact our daily lives and how you can make your voice heard.
When: Saturday, September 14 at 11:00 a.m.
Where: Lucien E. Blackwell West Philadelphia Regional Library

Let Freedom Ring

Learn how laws at all levels—local, state, and federal—affect you and how you can navigate them for your benefit.
When: Tuesday, September 17 at 5:30 p.m.
Where: South Philadelphia Library

Your Call to Civic Action

This workshop focuses on how you can leverage your unique talents to make a positive impact in Philadelphia.
When: Saturday, September 21 at 11:00 a.m.
Where: Northeast Regional Library

2024 Philly Civics Fair and Speakers Panel

Meet local community organizations, learn about their work, and discover how you can get involved. This event is a must-attend for anyone looking to make a difference in Philadelphia.
When: Saturday, September 28 at 9:00 a.m.
Where: Parkway Central Library

The Free Library’s “Power Up!” is a call to action. The civic awareness initiative’s overall goal is to increase local citizen’s understanding of the systems that govern us while actively participating in processes that shape society. Whether attending a workshop, joining a discussion, or simply learning something new, every effort contributes to building a stronger, more connected Philadelphia.

The Free Library of Philadelphia is creating spaces for learning, dialogue, and community building. Together, we can forge a shared vision for the future that is inclusive, informed, and driven by the power of collective action.

February 6, 2024

2024 Press Release ITM Awards

Contact: Sabrina Carnesi, In the Margins Book Awards Committee Chair

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

February 6, 2024

SEATTLE, WA. – The In the Margins Book Awards (ITM) committee plays a crucial role in recognizing and promoting literature that addresses the unique experiences and challenges faced by marginalized youth, and is pleased to announce their selection for overall Top Titles for each 2024 category and their Top Ten fiction and nonfiction list. By including social justice titles in their overall top ten list this year, the committee emphasizes the importance of narratives that tackle issues such as cultural irrelevance, structural exclusion, and disproportionality of injustices experienced by BIPOC youth. The age range of 9 to 21 suggests a broad spectrum of literature catering to various developmental stages, ensuring that the selected titles are relevant and engaging for a diverse audience within the specified age group. The focus on fiction, nonfiction, and social justice advocacy reflects a comprehensive approach to storytelling, encompassing different genres and perspectives.

The committee’s commitment to inclusivity is evident not only in the selection process but also in the involvement of young adults who have first-hand experience with the themes addressed. By actively seeking input from those who have lived through the challenges discussed in the literature, the committee ensures authenticity and relevance in their annual reading list. This approach not only enriches the selection process but also highlights the significance of direct engagement with the target audience.

Top Titles for 2024 are:

Dreams: Visions of the Crow, Volume 1 (ages 12-Up) written by Wanda John-Kehewin and illustrated by Nicole Marie Burton and Kielamel Sibal, published by Highwater Press (2023), won the Top Title for Fiction.

Damon’s life has never been easy. Isolated from his Native culture, with his mother’s alcoholism and daily harassment from school bullies, he isn’t sure if he can make it through his senior year. When a crow appears in his dreams and daily reality, Damon finds himself swept into an Indigenous cultural connection that can become a pathway to family and healing. This first in a series is based on the author’s true life experiences. Trigger Warnings: Loneliness, alcohol abuse, poverty, parental anger, school bullying, anti-indigenous sentiment, depression.

Akim Aliu: Dreamer (Ages 10-14), written by Akim Aliu and Greg Anderson Elysée and illustrated by Karen de la Vega and Marcus Williams, published by Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic Press, a division of Scholastic Publishing, Inc. (2023), won the 2024 Top Title for Nonfiction.

In this graphic memoir, Ukrainian-Nigerian-Canadian hockey player Akim Aliu, better known as Dreamer, shares the challenges he endured with players, coaches, and officials from childhood to age 20 in order to succeed in the league. Told in retrospect, this novel shines a light on the African and Ukrainian immigration crisis and the depth of systemic racism throughout the world. Trigger Warnings: Racial slurs and profanity (blurred out visually), hazing, racial microaggressions, violence and blood (on-page), colorism, and emotional abuse.

Can we Please Give the Police Department to the Grandmothers? (All Ages) written byJunauda Petrus, illustrated by Kristen Uroda, published by Dutton Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House (2023), won Top Title for Social Justice Advocacy.

Author Junauda Petrus wrote this poem in 2014, shortly after Michael Brown’s death in Ferguson, MO. The poem, along with picture book artist Kristen Uroda’s wonderful drawings, is a radical call to action towards community-based policing that provides safety, compassion, accountability, humanity, and respect for all. Trigger Warnings: References to police aggression, school bullying, disconnected and disengaged youth.

This year’s Top Ten List highlights all the titles that comprise the fiction, nonfiction, and advocacy and social justice lists posted on the book award’s website. In the Margins Official 2024 Top Ten titles are as follows:

Abdur-Rahman, Kevin H. The Eruption of Possible. May 2023. Page Publishing, Inc. $15.95 Paperback. 120 pages. 9798887936116. Adult.
Aliu, Akim, Greg A. Elysée, Karen de la Vega, and Marcus Williams. Akim Aliu: Dreamer. May 2023. Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic Press, a division of Scholastic Publishing, Inc. $24.99 Hardback. 140 pages. 9781338787603. Ages 10-14.
Baptist, Kelly J. Eb and Flow. March 2023. Crown Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House. $16.99 Hardback. 224 pages. 9781593429136. Ages 9-12.
Grant, Katy. Three Shots. West 44 Books, an imprint of Enslow Publishing. May 2023. $16.35. Paperback. 191 pages. 9781978596528. Ages 13-17.
Hannaham, James. Didn’t Nobody Give a Shit What Happened to Carlotta. August 2022. Little brown and company, a division of Hachette. $17.99 Hardback, 352 pages. 9780316285278. 17- Up.
Ice-T, Spike, and Douglas Century. Split Decision: Life Stories. July 2022. Gallery Books, an imprint of Gallery Publishing Group, a division of Simon and Schuster. $28.99. Hardcover. 304 pages. 9781982148775. Adult.
John-Kehewin, Wanda, Nicole Burton, and Kielamel Sibal. Dreams: Visions of the Crow, Volume 1. April 2023. Highwater Press. $21.95 Paperback. 80 pages. 9781774920459, ages 12-Up.
Johnson, Kim. Invisible Son. Random House Books for Young Readers, an imprint of June 2023. Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House. 416 pages. 9780593482100. Ages 13-Up.
Petrus, Junauda and Kristen Uroda. Can we Please Give the Police Department to the Grandmothers? April 2023. Dutton Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House. $18.99. Hardback. 32 pages. 9780593462331. Ages 5-9.
Wheattle, Alex. Sufferah: The Memoir of a Brixton Raggae-Head. July 2023. Akashic Books, Ltd. $28.95 Hardback. 248 pages. 9781636140933. Ages 16-Up.

The complete set of lists with annotations is located on the Award’s Website. Click here for new book submissions. For additional information, please contact the committee at inthemarginsbookaward@gmail.com.

The 2024 committee comprises juried and non-juried members, librarians, library supervisors, and library academics currently working with youth who experience the challenging circumstances of marginalized issues represented in the selected titles. Members of the 2024 juried committee are:

Molly Bassford, Colorado State Library, Denver, CO

Sabrina Carnesi, University of Washington, Seattle, WA (Chair)

Amy Cheney, Founding Member, Dir. of Oakland Unified Schools, Oakland, CA

Marvin DeBose, Philadelphia Free Libraries, Philadelphia, PA

Isaiah Hurtado, Oakland Public Library, Oakland, CA

Jennifer Parker-Haas, Echo Glen Children’s Center, Washington State Library, Snoqualmie, WA

Jess Snow, Boston Public Library, Boston, MA

Kiera Vargas, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC