Bridge Over Troubled Waters: Contesting Oppression and Building Cultural Competence and Empathy in LIS Spaces

• Dr. Nicole A. Cooke, Assistant Professor, The Graduate School of Library and Information Science, University of Illinois
• Dr. Robin F. Kurz, Assistant Professor, The School of Library and Information Management, Emporia State University

With the heightened focus on diversity and inclusion in LIS spaces and other segments of U.S. society, difficult conversations, and often confrontation around racism and other forms of oppression, have increased in libraries, classrooms, and other physical and virtual settings. Two LIS educators / librarians will facilitate this roundtable discussion on informing practice through different identities, intersectionalities, and privileges, and contesting microaggressions and other forms of silencing through empathy and cultural competence.

• Challenging Topics