<div dir="auto"><div dir="auto">A big thank you to Jennifer Maurer for letting me know I incorrectly copy-and-pasted the URL to the EDI Cohort application! Here's the correct link:</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto"><a href="https://bit.ly/38s6CAO">https://bit.ly/38s6CAO</a><br></div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">For more about the cohorts, read the original message below.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Mon, Aug 30, 2021, 11:00 AM Stephanie Chase <<a href="mailto:acornsandnuts@gmail.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">acornsandnuts@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default"><span id="m_2973435403443796631m_-1499346137713831172gmail-docs-internal-guid-4c0bd2ff-7fff-dc0f-0574-6a6634de04b0"><font face="georgia, serif">Hello Oregon Library Community!</font></span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span><font face="georgia, serif"><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:rgb(61,61,61);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">We are thrilled to share the Libraries of Eastern Oregon (LEO) has been awarded a grant funding six regionally-based cohorts in rural Oregon, supporting library staff, board members, and key volunteers in a year-long commitment to move equity work forward in rural, conservative communities. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:rgb(61,61,61);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The work of the cohorts will be based on the Oregon Library Association's recently developed and released Anti-Racism toolkit with a focus in each session of putting the learning into practice, supporting cohort participants in implementing what they have learned at their libraries and in their communities. Participants can expect to learn about:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"> </p><ul style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;margin-left:41pt"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" role="presentation"><span style="color:rgb(61,61,61);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Breaking bias</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;margin-left:41pt"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" role="presentation"><span style="color:rgb(61,61,61);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Power, Privilege, and Oppression</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;margin-left:41pt"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" role="presentation"><span style="color:rgb(61,61,61);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Equity in Action</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;margin-left:41pt"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" role="presentation"><span style="color:rgb(61,61,61);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Funding EDI work.</span><span style="background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> </span></p></li></ul><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">This will be an opportunity for both those new to equity work and those experienced with equity work to learn more and begin to work together. The cohorts are safe spaces for learning, growing, and community building.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:rgb(61,61,61);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:rgb(61,61,61);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The six cohorts will meet four times between October 2021 and June 2022, with the first two meetings taking place virtually on October 19, 2021 and January 13, 2022, and the last two in person. The grant funds the travel expenses for all participants, as well as a pool for substitute coverage for our colleagues in solo libraries. The cohorts will meet in Pendleton, La Grande, Ontario, Prineville, Lakeview, and, thanks to a partnership with our colleagues in the Southern Oregon Library Federation, in Grants Pass. There are 15 spots available in each cohort.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:rgb(61,61,61);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Priority for participation is first given to public library staff, but in recognition of the essential role they play in small libraries, public library trustees and key library volunteers are also welcome to apply. Library staff in community college libraries and school library staff in Eastern and Southern Oregon are also welcome to apply to participate, with the understanding the cohort sessions will have a strong public library focus. Colleagues from Idaho, south central and eastern Washington, and northeastern California are welcome to apply and will be invited to participate if room </span><span style="background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;color:rgb(61,61,61);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">permits. </span><span style="background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">You must come with a learner's mind, ready to engage in the learning (and unlearning) necessary to truly explore the concepts in the OLA Anti-Racism toolkit.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:rgb(61,61,61);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Please note: the framework of the cohort learning prioritizes participation of interested library staff of color, while also ensuring participating library staff of color do not have the burden of additional and undue emotional labor.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:rgb(61,61,61);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Interested in participating? Please fill out our short application at </span><a href="https://bit.ly/2X3knn6" style="text-decoration-line:none" rel="noreferrer noreferrer" target="_blank"><span style="background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">https://bit.ly/2X3knn6</span></a><span style="color:rgb(61,61,61);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">. We encourage applications to be filed by September 17.</span><span style="color:rgb(61,61,61);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> Library directors, please be sure to share this email with your staff and let your Board members and key volunteers know of the opportunity.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">You can find out more by visiting the EDI Cohorts page on our website, </span><a href="https://www.librariesofeasternoregon.org/edi-cohorts" style="text-decoration-line:none" rel="noreferrer noreferrer" target="_blank"><span style="background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">https://www.librariesofeasternoregon.org/edi-cohorts</span></a><span style="background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:rgb(61,61,61);background-color:transparent;font-style:italic;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">This project is made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the State Library of Oregon.</span></p></font></span><br></div><div class="gmail_default"><font face="georgia, serif">Please feel free to contact me with any questions!</font></div><div class="gmail_default"><font face="georgia, serif"><br></font></div><div class="gmail_default"><font face="georgia, serif">Stephanie Chase</font><div><font face="georgia, serif">Executive Director, Libraries of Eastern Oregon</font></div><div><font face="georgia, serif">PO Box 233, Baker City, OR 97814<br>541/362.4258</font></div><div><font face="georgia, serif">she/her/hers</font></div></div></div>
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