Since 2014, educators, students, parents, community members, and organizers have come together over the summer to participate in a summer reading series focused on racial and social justice themes. More than 400 people have participated in more than 35 reading groups that have taken place across Philadelphia. Our reading series builds our membership; develops our leadership ability; and fuels our organizing to build our power as a union, our work as teachers, and our relationships with each other.
This year, based on survey results, WE and TAG are excited to announce 15 book groups. You can join groups organized by the Philadelphia Black History Collaborative; educators focused on ending white supremacy; members of the immigration justice ItAG and committee; and leaders in the Restorative Practices Project. Other groups will focus on building organizing skills; reading empowering works of fiction; growing our historical and current understanding of systems and structures that form our education system. For the first time, we have a reading group meeting in the Northeast, and groups reading books paired together around a common theme.
This summer, we continue the tradition of bringing together people from all walks of life and all parts of the city -- parents, teachers, nurses, counselors, activists, community members, students, andanyone else! All are welcome! Please sign up here!
And come to the Summer Kick-Off Happy Hour on June 9, from 4:00-7:30PM at Maximum Level Lounge (5118 Sansom Street) to find out more about the reading groups, celebrate the end of the year, enter a raffle to win a copy of one of our books, and join the movement for racial, social, and education justice in Philadelphia.
Want to learn more about past book clubs?Read this article on the Summer Reading Series in Perspectives on Urban Educationby WE supporting member Kathleen Riley.
