Literacy, representation and book-based equity for Black and Brown readers all were key elements of a 2022 Juneteenth kickoff celebration on Friday, June 17 at the Fellowship Chapel in Detroit during a returning book giveaway event.
To celebrate the new holiday, the Detroit Federation of Teachers, Fellowship Chapel, AFT Michigan, and the AFT hosted a free book giveaway, which focused on titles celebrating and featuring Black faces and voices.
The American Federation of Teachers is a union of professionals that champions fairness; democracy; economic opportunity; and high-quality public education, healthcare, and public services for their students, their families and their communities know about fighting for the rights of their members and their students who can often represent disenfranchised populations. The Detroit Federation of Teachers is a local affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers.
Over one million-member American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO, which represents teachers; paraprofessionals and school-related personnel; higher education faculty and staff; nurses and other healthcare professionals; local, state, and federal government employees; and early childhood educators.
The AFT supports the strategic establishment of 25,000 community schools where students and families can access tailored health services and social services in one place, and marginalized communities can have access to services and support. Weingarten views this goal as especially vital to help children, families and communities recover from the wide-ranging impacts of the coronavirus pandemic and ensuing recession.
Families and guardians, teachers and educational leaders took home dozens of books for their home libraries while Detroit school staff and educators took books for their classroom collections, libraries and programs.
The distribution, at Fellowship Chapel, was part of AFT’s “Reading Opens the World” literacy campaign—to distribute the 1 million books and literacy resources in conjunction with First Book and to help parents, educators, school staff and community partners spread the joy of reading.
From free food and face-painting to games and music — the live event not only celebrated reading equity but the fight for liberty, which encapsulates Juneteenth.
On June 19, 1865—a full 71 days after the Civil War ended—Major Gen. Gordon Granger reached Galveston, Texas, to deliver a general order that “all slaves are free.” Liberation had finally reached the shores of Texas. June 19 became known as Juneteenth, the oldest annual Black freedom celebration in the United States. But 155 years later, African Americans still struggle for true freedom and for full and equal protection under the law.
American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten issued the following statement after President Joe Biden signed into law a bill last year.
“While we celebrate this new federal holiday, we also must learn from it, particularly the lessons of struggle, trauma, and violence, as well as perseverance, triumph and achievement, that is the lived experience of Black Americans,” Weingarten said previously… . Freedom gained was and is not the end of racism and injustice in this country. To build a more just and equitable future, we must learn from and reflect on our past, and teach accurate history in our schools, so we can discuss and learn from the events that should never be forgotten.”
When the COVID-19 crisis hit, the AFT worked with scientists and health professionals to develop a blueprint for reopening schools. The AFT continues to advocate for the funding and necessary testing and safety protocols to ensure in-person learning is safe.
LaKia Wilson-Lumpkins, executive vice president at the Detroit Federation of Teachers, told the Michigan Chronicle that reading is fundamental and so much more for the Detroit community.
“We are so excited to have our teachers and our students and families in the community,” Wilson-Lumpkins said of the pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade tailored reading event. “The teachers are excited.”
Wilson-Lumpkins added that while there is a definite push for people to embrace e-book technology, the eradication of reading physical books can’t be stopped– especially if she has something to do with it.
“As you can tell nothing replaces hard copy books,” she said at the bustling event where children and parents and teachers excitedly grabbed up all the free books.
The next book giveaway will return on Saturday, October 8.
For more information click here.
About Post Author
