February 15: Join the Affirmations Book Club For Transgender and Non Binary Students + Our Small Sips Display + Continuing Our Celebration of Black History Month
EXPLORE
Located on the mantle in the main library space, Small Sips: short, succinct stories without commitment features long form essay pairings that pack a serious thematic punch: from gender to art, climate, and borders, these short reads will provide lasting insights without taking much time to absorb.
DO
CSW students who identify as trans and non binary should register with the 14+ group, specifically, if interested in reading and discussion themes in a safe, affirming space. CSW is not affiliated with this reading group.
Join other high school students in Massachusetts for Affirmations: a Trans book Club geared specifically to trans and non binary youth (ages 8-18. Affirmations invites readers to explore, question, and connect with one another and the centered experiences of trans, nonbinary, and gender-creative book characters. In partnership with Translate Gender and High Five Books, participants will explore a variety of texts, many of which we have in the CSW Library.
CSW students who identify as trans and non binary should register with the 14+ group, specifically, if interested in reading and discussion themes in a safe, affirming space. CSW is not affiliated with this reading group.
March’s book selection is Pet by awaeke emezi, a quick read featuring a young, Black trans protagonist that packs a serious punch despite its brevity. Interested in checking it out from the CSW Library? Reach out to Jenna and jwolf@csw.org.
Meeting Dates/Times (starting March):
Ages 14+ | 3rd Tuesdays from 7-8pm EST (Zoom + Discord)
Please register here so the Affirmations team can be in touch with what's going on each month AND so you can get the log-in information to join us. If you have any questions, feel free to connect with us at info@translategender.org or email Massachusetts librarian Jordan Funke, who helps organize at jordanfunke@gmail.com.
READ
Each week, the CSW Library highlights one title in our BOOK OF THE WEEK feature to help you choose (or not choose) your next read. During the month of February, each book of the week will be by an African American author and the themes within the story will center the Black Family in conjunction with our 2021 Black History month non fiction collection: THE BLACK FAMILY: REPRESENTATION, IDENTITY, and DIVERSITY
ROOTS: THE SAGA OF AN AMERICAN FAMILY by ALEX HALEY
QUICK TAKE
Tracing his ancestry through six generations back to Africa, Alex Haley discovered a sixteen-year-old youth who held the key to his family’s deep and distant past. In this Pulitzer-Prize winning feat of research and imagination based off of the author's family history, Haley tells the story of Kunta Kinte, who is torn from his homeland and sold into slavery in the United States where he and his descendants live through major historic events. In the four decades since its original publication, this story has lost none of its power to enthrall and provoke.
GOOD TO KNOW
WHERE TO CHECK IT OUT
CSW—a gender-inclusive day and boarding school for grades 9-12—is a national leader in progressive education. We live out our values of inquiry-based learning, student agency, and embracing diverse perspectives in every aspect of our student experience. Young people come to CSW to learn how to learn and then put what they learn into action—essential skills they carry into their futures as doers, makers, innovators, leaders, and exceptional humans who do meaningful work in the world.