The following text was sent to ANSWER Indiana by Stephen Lane–one of the organizers of the library struggle and volunteer at the Indianapolis Liberation Center–urging the community to support them in their struggle. Lane lists three things you can do, starting with attending tonight’s protest!
Thank you all so much for attending Wednesday’s community forum regarding racism in library leadership! We need your help getting the word out about what we are trying to do in getting systemic changes in library leadership!
First, come out and share the facebook event to protest the rampant racism in library leadership! We need people to show up and speak out against racism in our public institution! The event will be tonight (July 9) at 6:30 at the Library Service Center located at 2450 Meridian Street.
Second, send a letter to the Board to fire Board President Jose Salinas and CEO Jackie Nytes for fostering a system of rampant racism and silencing of library workers providing crucial information resources to some of our most marginalized and historically silenced community members! We need competent leadership to lead us into a better work climate. Share this with your network too!
Third, sign and share the petition to keep the pressure going to get necessary systemic changes in our public library!
We are working hard as a union and as the Liberation Center to amplify the voices of Black and other marginalized workers who cannot come forward at this time due to the toxic work climate and valid fear of retaliation. As we struggle, however, more and more are coming out publicly. We’re losing the fear the bosses instill in us through our unity. We need community support to push this struggle forward!
We can do this! We will win all of our demands! I will see you all tonight!
Sincerely,
Stephen Lane
Special Collections Librarian
Proud union member of AFSCME local 3395 representing Indy library workers
Volunteer at the Indianapolis Liberation Center
