Missed this event? You can now watch the webinar at your convenience: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mgy6wDcNNvQ Whether you’re thinking of running for elected office, forming a Social Justice focused non-profit, or just want to hear from other LIS folks who are doing just that, join us for this conversation. What insight and ideas can we learn from our colleagues in the library profession that are actively seeking to extend their reach and make change in our society.
Panelists:
Shawn(ta) Smith-Cruz is a co-coordinator at the Lesbian Herstory Archives, and Chair of Archives for CLAGS: The Center for LGBTQ Studies at the Graduate Center. She is also a Zinster, disseminating her Zine, Black Lesbians in the 70’s and Before: An at Home Tour at the Lesbian Herstory Archives. In 2000, Shawn co-founded Sister Outsider: a non-profit organization for and by young women of color who were self-supporting, queer, and in the street economies. She also co-founded FIERCE!, a non-profit for queer youth of color, and was a co-founding member of the Youth Activists - Youth Allies (Ya-Ya) Network.
Her recent volunteer projects include the exhibition of the Salsa Soul Sisters, the first lesbian of color organization in NYC, and digitized the newsletters of CLAGS. Shawn has a BS in Queer Women’s Studies from the CUNY Baccalaureate Program, an MFA in Creative Writing/Fiction, and an MLS with a focus on Archiving and Records Management from Queens College. She currently serves as Associate Dean for Teaching Learning, and Engagement of NYU Libraries. You can learn more about her work at
https://shawntasmithcruz.com/. Avery Le is a Legal Research at BakerHostetler LLP and the founder and Executive Director of
Daughters’ Advocates, Inc., a non-profit whose mission is: to empower underprivileged, low-income women of color by providing one-on-one support to set and achieve educational, vocational, or career goals so that these women can gain financial stability and lifelong success. The non-profit provides a multitude of services, but namely a cornerstone six-week course on career-ready skills coupled with a more hands-on approach such as mentor matching and networking within a particular industry.
Avery founded the nonprofit to proactively effect change within our communities for women of color and believed her expansive network of legal and library professionals would help her jumpstart the fight for social justice. To learn more about Daughters’ Advocates and how you can get involved with the cause, please visit
https://daughtersadvocates.org/.
Avery has a BA from University of Southern California, and MSLIS from Florida State University, and a JD from University of Florida Levin College of Law, where she served as Technology & Digital Services Librarian and Professor of Legal Research for four years. More recently, she served as Outreach Librarian at Emory University, before transitioning to the law firm setting.
Kim Council is concerned about economic development and truly affordable housing. As the former President of the East New York Housing Development Corporation, she was instrumental in implementing over 900 units of affordable housing in East New York with additional projects underway. She also assisted in the development of 100 plus units of affordable housing through the Berean Community and Family Life Center.
Kim is committed to our youth. She has hosted annual empowerment conferences for youth with workshops on self-esteem, sexual health, anger management, self-empowerment for young women and rights of passage into manhood for young men. She has also had the privilege of working with State Senator Velmanette Montgomery and other CBOs to implement changes in the current juvenile justice system. These changes afford youth the opportunity to reenter their communities through rehabilitative and community-based programming.
Kim is a compassionate community advocate. She has served on the Board of Directors of the Berean Community & Family Life Center as its secretary; currently serves on the board of the Local Development Corporation of East New York as its Vice Chair; on the Executive Committee of Women of Faith Advocating Change; and is the Past President of the Law Librarian Association of Greater New York. She was selected to participate in the White House Community Leader Briefing series in 2011. In Washington, DC where she met with White House Senior Policy advisors and leaders in the Department of Education to discuss systemic changes in the nation’s education system. She is a Senior Reference Librarian at Sullivan and Cromwell LLP and until recently the Executive Director of the Berean Community & Family Life Center. Kim is currently a candidate for City Council in 2021 for the 37th CD in Brooklyn
http://www.council4council.com.
Kim was ordained in 2006 by Rev. Dr. Arlee Griffin Jr., and currently serves as an Associate Minister at the Historic Berean Baptist Church of Brooklyn.
Kim is a Brooklyn native. She resides in Cypress Hills with her son and daughter. She is a graduate of North Carolina Central University and Pratt Institute with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and a Master of Science in Library Science.
Moderated by
Clara Cabrera SLA NY, Program Events Coordinator.
Please register for this event. We will email you the webinar details the day before.