Diversity
Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples’ Day?
If you have children, chances are they have no school tomorrow (October 11th) due to Columbus Day. If they go to Chicago Public Schools, it’s due to Indigenous Peoples’ Day. (Moraine Valley is NOT closed tomorrow.) So which is it, Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples’ Day? According to an NBC5 article entitled What to Know about Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Columbus Day in Illinois, in 2017, Illinois designated the last Monday of September as Indigenous Peoples’ Day. However on Friday, President Biden made a proclamation that October 11th will officially be known as Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
If you are interested in learning more about Indigenous Peoples’, the Moraine Valley Library has you covered. We have many books and videos about Indigenous Peoples’. We have many databases that might be useful for finding articles or videos about Indigenous Peoples. Here are the search results from our Academic Search Complete database on Indigenous Peoples of the Americas.
When in doubt, the librarians are always happy to help. Just be sure to Ask a Librarian.
Photo credits: “National Indigenous People’s Day Celebration” by danna § curious tangles is licensed with CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/
Juneteenth: A Celebration of Freedom
Since President Biden just signed the law making Juneteenth a federal holiday, here is a video from our library from 2019 about the Juneteenth holiday.
Talk Description: “Moraine Valley Community College students will learn about the oldest known holiday to commemorate the ending of slavery in the United States. The session will focus on the historical significance and cultural traditions of the forgotten holiday.”
Revisiting the Past & Looking to the Future: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion 1919-2021-Dr. Tracy Crump (video)
Special guest Dr. Tracy Crump, Associate Professor of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice at St. Xavier University. Dr. Crump’s talk will consider how to build inclusive spaces in our society by exploring the root causes of social unrest in Chicago over the last century. She will start with the Red Summer of 1919 and move forward.
Tracy Crump holds the Ph.D. in Criminology, Law and Justice from the University of Illinois at Chicago, a juris doctorate from from the John Marshall Law School, and earned the LL.M. (post-JD studies) at Loyola University Chicago School of Law.
The Virtual Rainbow Reception
The Celebrating Diversity Task Group’s LGBTQ+ Subcommittee is hosting the annual Rainbow Reception virtually this year! On Monday, February 1st you can learn about the different resources on campus available to LGBTQIA+ students. Join via WebEx. You can also show your pride by ordering a t-shirt!
After the reception, check out some of the resources available at the library with this selection of books, audiobooks, and graphic novels. Click on the image to view the collection:
The Relevance of Octavia E. Butler’s Science Fiction
Today would have been Octavia Butler’s 73rd birthday, had the multi-award winning author not passed in 2006. She left us with a body of work that inspires, captivates, and often provokes thought and emotion in readers. Her science fiction, typically centering black, female protagonists, was never afraid to discuss race, gender, or sexuality.
Often writing about where she thought humanity was headed, her work is still so relevant today. Some even claim she predicted our current political situation with charismatic political leaders and famous slogans about bringing the country back to some idlilic past that never really existed.
Butler’s novels have never been adapted for the small or large screen, however a TV adaptation of her novel Dawn is in the works with some impressive talent behind the wheel.
MVCC Library has almost all of her books available digitally. Click the image below to see the collection and Ask a librarian if you need help accessing e-books.
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“Hair Love”
I met a friend for lunch in early January of this year. Conversation turned to an acquaintance of hers that was involved in an animated film. She told me that the writer/director and the rest of their team were hoping for an Oscar nomination for “Hair Love“. “This is a 6 minute animated short film that centers around the relationship between an African-American father, Stephen, his daughter, Zuri and her hair.”
The film not only got the nomination in January but Matthew Cherry and Karen Rupert Toliver received an Oscar for their film. Take 6 minutes out of your day and watch the love between a father and his daughter.
Transgender Day of Remembrance
Today is Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR), a day to honor those who were lost to anti-transgender violence.
TDOR began in 1999 as a vigil honoring the memory of Rita Hester, a transgender woman that had been killed the previous year. It has since become an annual tradition used to remember other members of the transgender community that have passed.
Learn more about transgender rights with these resources at the library.
Avicenna: The Often Forgotten Philosopher (video
In this lecture, Professor of Communications and Literature, Dr. Amani Wazwaz discusses the life and contributions of the physician and scholar Avicenna (Ibn Sina). She explains his contributions to Philosophy and his influences on European Philosophers such as St. Thomas Aquinas. This presentation continues the lecture series begun by MOSAICS Building Bridges Program.
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It’s Ace Week!
October 20 -26 is Ace Week, originally called Asexuality Awareness Week, which highlights asexual-spectrum identities. Learn more about asexuality and how you can support ace members of your community with these library resources:
The Invisible Orientation (also available as an eBook) is meant for both those who identify on the asexual spectrum, as well as those who want to understand friends and family members that may be asexual.
If you are looking for a scientific view of what asexuality is and why it matters, Understanding Asexuality will give you a look at the research behind this sexual minority.
(A)sexual (Streaming Video) explores the challenges of finding identity in a culture that values sexual attraction. Check here for help with streaming video.
Don’t forget to check out LGBTQIA resources on campus or get involved with the student organization ¡GASP!