KC Race Project and Gathering at the Table: Libraries Engaging Community Dialogue

This session highlights the work of Johnson County Library’s Civic Engagement team and the Race Project KC. The Civic Engagement team is dedicated to engaging the community it serves in meaningful ways. The public library has served a pivotal role in providing a safe space for difficult conversations and connecting. We developed Gather at the Table to provide an informal space for community members who might not otherwise meet to interact and chat. It was such a success that we employed it to encourage more difficult conversations, such as race and reactions to the school shooting in Parkland Florida. Race Project KC grew from the work of the Civic Engagement team's outreach to teens from different backgrounds. Central to this is a bus tour and dialogue on the story of segregation in Kansas City, exploring our history of segregation and integration in the Metro, and the implications of both. Immediately following the tour, the teens share their experiences and thoughts in discussions facilitated by Rockhurst University students. This year some of those same teens were trained in facilitation and will soon lead discussions with others throughout the Kansas City Metro who take the tour.