We are excited to share some programming news! The UW Tacoma Library and The Center for Equity and Inclusion have been working all summer to get a pilot book club off the ground for the fall quarter. And we are ready to go!  If you are a UW Tacoma Undergraduate and are interested in joining, please fill out this linked survey.

Called “Real Lit[erature] Book Club” — Real Lit for short — our kick-off novel is The Hate U Give by best-seller Angie Thomas about police violence against African-Americans (and coming out as a major motion picture this October).  This novel made the National Book Award long list, and has had a huge impact nationally. It tells the story of 16-year old Starr, who grows up in a poor neighborhood while attending an elite suburban prep high school. The novel traces the impact and struggles Starr, and her communities face, when her best friend Khalil was shot by a police officer.

Why are we starting a book club?  We believe that using a novel to discuss contemporary societal issues allows for hard but necessary conversations to take place.  Joining a book club is also a fantastic way to create community by reducing isolation.

We are opening the book club up to 12 UW Tacoma students, so space is limited. As a reminder, please indicate your interest in participating by filling out this linked survey.

Each participant will receive a copy of The Hate U Give to keep.  There will be snacks at each of the bi-weekly meetings (Wednesday, 12:30-1:20), and we will provide movie tickets to see the film.  Last but certainly not least, we are thrilled to announce a skype call with the author as a culminating experience!