by Hannah Park, Education and School of Professional & Extended Studies Librarian at American University Library
Attending the third national Joint Conference of Librarians of Color (JCLC), which was held from September 26-30, 2018 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, felt like a homecoming. I had taken a year off to be on maternity leave, and in that time, I had changed my last name, moved to a different state, switched jobs, and was doing something very different from what I had been doing previously (although still in academic librarianship). All of these changes were a bit jarring, to say the least, and I felt like I was just getting back into the groove of things professionally. Within this context, JCLC felt like a breath of fresh air and it grounded me in a way that I hadn’t expected. Throughout the conference, I was struck by a common thread– whether it was through the conference sessions, or informal conversations with people– about how important it is to stay connected within a professional community, to critically engage with the possibilities of what it means to be a library and information professional, and to practice self care, especially as a librarian of color.
There was a session entitled “Using Mindfulness to Cope with Microaggressions and Workplace Stress,” presented by Jaena Alabi, Pambanisha Whaley, and Chippewa Thomas. In their presentation, they talked about microaggressions– those every day slights that send denigrating messages to individuals simply because they belong to a racial minority group, and the emotional, psychological, and physical toll they can sometimes take. They also talked about how these microaggressions and incivilities can contribute to workplace stress, leading to decreased workplace productivity and satisfaction. One way to combat this is through mindfulness, a state of awareness and a practice that involves attending to the present moment and cultivating an attitude of curiosity, openness, and acceptance. They talked about the scientific evidence that shows how mindfulness improves academic performance, mental and behavioral health, and social behavior. The workshop attendees were then led through a reflective listening and mindful inquiry activity where participants shared in pairs and small groups about a microaggression they experienced in the workplace. Their partners listened and reflected back what their partners had shared, using their words, beginning where they were, emotionally relating to how they were feeling, and staying within the interaction and not simply offering solutions. After the activity, people shared within the larger group, and it was touching to see just how deeply people were willing to share, and how traumatizing some of their workplace experiences had been. I don’t know if there was a dry eye in the group after the end of the session. There was a sense that some people in the group were showing the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in some of their workplace encounters, and that this conference and this session were helping to address some of this. It almost felt like a group therapy session, which isn’t surprising since it was facilitated by a counselor educator.
It was telling that the last session of the last night of the conference was packed, with a standing-room only crowd. The session was on self care, entitled “‘This is a Marathon, Not a Sprint’: Self-care and Women of Color in LIS,” presented by Alyse Minter and Genevia Chamblee-Smith. They expanded upon the survey data they collected for their research study, which was published in Pushing the Margins: Women of Color and Intersectionality in LIS, edited by Rose L. Chou and Annie Pho. They talked about the double discrimination that women of color face, due to sexism and racism, and the challenges they face in the workplace. In their research study, they surveyed women of color in the library and information science field and asked them about their experiences. Of the 301 survey responses, they found recurrent issues of a lack of diversity, feelings of isolation, and feeling silenced and undervalued. They examined study participants’ feedback on how they maintain (or aspire to maintain) well-being and a sense of self. Although workplace stress is common across sectors, it can be especially taxing to those who work in service-oriented professions, and especially so for women of color. Workload equity, job stress, and availability of support systems were all issues that influence job satisfaction for women of color in librarianship. The main takeaway from the session was the importance of self care in all its forms. In response to the question, “What self-care advice do you have for others?,” these trends emerged in participants’ responses: self-affirmation and value; assertiveness and boundaries at work; health, nutrition and wellbeing; mental health and stress reduction; professional community; intimate community (family and friends); spiritual and faith traditions; cultural rootedness; and race relations. Ultimately, a common thread of making sure to be in community, and staying connected to oneself (physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually), tie these recommendations together. The presenters ended their presentation with an exhortation from one of the survey respondents, who wrote: “Be you. You are beautiful. You belong.”
I saw and experienced a deeper camaraderie and connection at this conference compared to other librarian conferences I have attended. Because I had taken a year off to be on maternity leave, and because I had upended every aspect of my personal and professional life, I had been feeling professionally adrift. At this conference, however, at every corner, I bumped into people I had known or worked with in different professional contexts. It was a homecoming and a reunion, and I felt the connections and bonds that I was making with my fellow librarians of color deepen and strengthen during this conference. Finding professional community was one of the common themes that emerged in this conference, and that is exactly what I found at JCLC. Although it only takes place every few years or so, it is a much needed space for librarians of color to connect, think deeply about the profession, and find other like-minded people to continue to do the work of serving their constituents.