Reimagining America
Fairfax County Public Library
Innovation Synopsis
George Floyd was the latest in a long line of Black Americans who perished at the hands of police, and this tragedy sparked riots and made people come face-to-face with police violence in the Black community. Our library staff worked with a university professor to create Reimagining America, a three-part series addressing racial injustice.
Challenge/Opportunity
Racial injustice is a negative constant in the lives of Black Americans, and in recent years, with the advent of cell phones, police brutality — one facet of this injustice — has been recorded and documented, bringing awareness to a problem that is not understood or recognized by some people. Reimagining America strived to have honest conversations about racism to educate and galvanize people into taking a stand — whether via small or large actions — against racial injustice.
Key Elements of Innovation
Dr. Mark Hopson of George Mason University created and facilitated this three-part program:
- Part 1 "History Taught Us: Exploring Yesterday’s Impact on Today," a discussion with Dr. Marilyn S. Mobley of Case Western Reserve University.
- Part 2 "Why All the Protests? Having 'The Talk' about Race and Racism," a discussion with Gina Castle, author of Talking Black and White.
- Part 3 "If You Protest You May Die, If You Don’t Protest You May Die," a Generation-Z panel perspective on political engagement.
Achieved Outcomes
Approximately 85 people attended each session and feedback was quite positive. One attendee shared, "Thank you for your outstanding coordination of this series...I have attended so many trainings about culture and race, and by far this program was most relatable for me as a person. We are all shaped by our experiences, but if we share and support each other we can all improve and do better." This event inspired other library programs such as "Let's Talk About Race Roundtables" and "Celebrating Children of Color."