Dear ARLIS:
Gladys has confirmed an idea I had in the midst of this discussion--to try to
get a sponsor for a travel award specifically for librarians of color--or
does one already exist? I want to applaud Miguel and the other members of
the Ethnic Caucus for bringing the elephant out of the closet into the ARLIS
living room--i.e., confronting us about the need for all of us to continue to
raise our consciousnesses about the issues that all people of color in this
country face (still!). The Diversity Committee has done some very good work
and it was very good for Marilyn Russell-Bogle to report on them. I remember
a particularly wonderful session on the subject of disability (in Miami?).
And the session in L.A. on Contemporary Native American Art co-moderated by
Marilyn and I was sponsored by the Diversity Committee (along with the Women
in Art Section and the Museum Libraries Division). Even with all these
"sponsorships" (which don't include funding), we had to struggle to raise the
money to pay the travel expenses and honoraria for the 3 Native American
members of the panel who were not ARLIS members. Funding of conference
SPEAKERS of color may sometimes be covered now by the new "Speakers Fund."
There are zillions (and they are ALL important) of "diversity" issues
(including the one concerning the occupation of librarianship--yes we are
discriminated against through stereotyping) but the issue of color (i.e., of
not being Euro-American) is the BIG one that I don't remember being openly
discussed at ARLIS before--though it's been an open national agenda item for
at least 10-12 years. Perhaps ARLIS members (including some of our members
of color) are being just a little too polite. In my experience, if it
doesn't make you at least slightly uncomfortable, you're probably not getting
it. I find that European Americans (like me) have to take "affirmative
action" on a personal level to hear what our friends and colleagues of color
want us to know. (And--as we have seen in this discussion--what they want us
to know isn't always the same or what you would expect--that's part of why
it's so interesting!) Just being enlightened, progressive, and liberal in
one's opinions isn't enough; actions speak louder than words. P.S. I've
just read Lucie's posting: BRAVO!!
Joan M. Benedetti
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