Kickstart Vancouver Black Library!

What is Van Black Library? And why?

 

- Every black person in Vancouver — unceded land of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations — knows that there is an overt lack of Black community and connectivity in the city.

 

- Through what so-called “Vancouver” referred to as “urban renewal,” the city's first and last Black community, Hogan’s Alley, was demolished and expropriated years ago. Thus, quashing the only identifiable Black neighbourhood and community in Vancouver even to this day. Since then, most Black people in Vancouver seldom find themselves in a large-scale connected community. The effect of this can be loneliness, isolation, self-gaslighting of microaggressions experienced on the day to day, and lack of belonging, etc.

 

- There have been salient and valuable efforts made to commemorate and revitalize what once was for Vancouver’s Black community in recent years. Nonetheless, there still remains a noticeable void where there is room for practical, tangible Black community spaces in Vancouver.

 

- Van Black Library’s proposal is just what you’d imagine - a Library run by Black organizers, dedicated for Black and BIPOC community members. This is a space to not only sign out books for free, this is intended to be used as a study space, a chill space, a safe space. It is to cater to the needs of the Black community first and foremost. The hope is that one day, Van Black Library can be a springboard for other initiatives like group therapy, community care efforts in the realm of fundraising, childcare, art exhibitions, poetry readings, bookclubs, zine-making etc. Ultimately, in addition to connecting people to information, libraries connect people to people.

 

- The Van Black Library initiative will always make an effort to flow and adapt to the dynamic needs of the community. As of now, crowdfunding and donations will be vital in the effort to get up and running. Book donations are a huge priority, second only to funding to rent a studio/space for the library to operate out of. Those 2 things are the largest priorities and the first steps in building Van Black Library.

 

- This is a not-for-profit initiative that seeks to raise funds in order to foster a nurturing community environment for Black people in the Vancouver area, in the form of a Library.

 

- The INITIAL CROWDFUNDING GOAL: $6000 for approximately 6 months of studio rental costs to operate the Library out of + the cost of furnishing and setting up the space for the public. Any excess funds will be donated to a local community care fund.

 

- DONATION REQUEST: Books!

 

- This is an initiative led by ordinary community members (me!) so I will make it a priority to keep open and transparent lines of communication through the entire fundraising process and in the development of Van Black Library. Learning, challenges and adapting will happen here! Let’s make this happen together! — Much luv & Thank you hugely for any form of support