Several area high school students asked how difficult it is to overcome some negative perceptions of being an African American woman and how challenging it is to be a new father. They were participating in the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Interdisciplinary Research and Informatics Scholarship (IRIS) Center’s Conversation Toward Brighter Future 2.0 program, which involved talking about age and intergenerational relationships as part of a Human Library Summit, held Oct. 4 at the Mannie Jackson Center for the Humanities (MJCH).
“We created the program in order to help students think about the depth and complexity of people they see or interact with every day, but may not have the chance to really talk to,” said Jessica Despain, PhD, co-director of the IRIS Center and professor in the College of Arts and Sciences’ (CAS) Department of English Language and Literature.
“During the event, high school students, working in groups, checked-out ‘human books’ based on a descriptive term, and the book’s appearance,” added Despain. “Students spent 10 minutes questioning their ‘book’ and learning about their life story and experiences, to challenge their first impressions of the ‘book’s cover.’
“This was a fun experience,” said Ronada Hood, SIUE senior. “I kept getting picked first, which I didn’t expect, because my label was African American Woman. The students were interested in hearing how I fought the associations of my label.”
“I had a different experience at each table,” said Jacob Del Rio, head librarian of Adult Services at the Edwardsville Public Library and new father. “But in each case, our conservation went beyond my occupation as students wanted to learn more about my life and challenges as a new dad.”
“It was extremely inspiring,” said Abigail Hoepker, of Highland High School. “The human books were more than what they seemed.”
Students from Civic Memorial and Triad high schools were also at the Human Library event. Other high schools who are participating in the program, but not able to attend Friday’s event include Collinsville, Edwardsville, Madison and Granite City.
“The goal of the human library event is to help students learn how to listen in conversations, think critically about their own skills of listening and empathy, and prepare them to begin a year of work of telling the stories of community members,” said Despain. “It helps students think about how complex people are, and why stories are important to our daily lives.”
The program is being held in collaboration with the SIUE IRIS Center, the MJCH and area teachers.
Photos:
SIUE senior Ronada Hood talks to students who have “checked her out” during a Human Library event.
Jacob Del Rio, head librarian of Adult Services at the Edwardsville Public Library and new father, shares different elements of his career and life with students.