Millerton teens lead reading on racism

MILLERTON — A small group of teenagers is the driving force behind an October Wednesday night virtual multi-generational Community Book Group, which will focus on issues of racism and its history beginning Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 7 p.m.

Co-sponsored by the North East Community Center (NECC) and the NorthEast-Millerton Library, the event is an outgrowth of a summer teen NECC reading group in which members determined that the experience was a valuable one they would like to share with members of the community. 

The two organizations announced the event jointly, saying, “Our society is struggling to come to grips with and to resolve a long history of racial inequality and disparity. The shared reading of ‘Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You,’  by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi, is an effort to generate a brave space for open and honest discussion about where we have been as a society, where we are today, and where we want to go.”

Webutuck sophomore Aerianna O’Halloran, daughter of Erin O’Halloran and a 15 year old member of the reading group said, “I’m really excited to get people that I know and people who live in my area involved because I feel that this book really was super powerful and educational, and just including people in learning and growing is really cool.”

Besides encouraging friends and family to participate in the program, O’Halloran is also working to create a virtual flier.

“When we go back [to school] Oct. 5th, that’s going to one of my first missions — to get a poster approved so I can put it up,” she said.

The sessions will involve general discussions and consider a number of questions, some of which are being created by the teenagers. O’Halloran said she believes descriptions of racism and anti-racism in the book will be interwoven with examples from participants’ communities that will give “people a relatable kind of perspective.” 

Because she is still a student, she was particularly impressed with the book’s section on racism in education. 

“I feel really lucky to grow up in an area that is pretty well funded — but if you go into inner city areas and areas where there is a Black population and people of color and see how schools differ from my area, it’s kind of shocking,” the young student said.

Another member of the group, Xin Wong, 17, son of Siu Ping Wong and Sheng Jie Zhou, is also participating in the project.

“I do think that it’s a good book that details a lot of our nation’s history regarding racism and the social tension and conflict that comes from it in an easy to read manner,” said Xin. “I enjoyed it and I would recommend it to people who are curious about our nation’s history. It does expand a little on what I’ve already learned from school.”

NECC Youth Program Director Kathryn Atkins noted the students involved in the program have “great energy” and is pleased that the Wednesday night sessions will allow them to be “a part of the conversation and connect with the community.” She added the focus of the book group, is “certainly academic,” but added it goes beyond that. 

“They’re reading, but they’re engaging socially and are in communication, which is important when we are all living in this virtual environment,” she said.

Copies of the book may be borrowed from the library at 75 Main St. or purchased at Oblong Books& Music, at 26 Main St., Millerton.

Participants must pre-register for the Zoom event. For more information, contact www.bookclub@neccmillerton.org; or call 518-789-4259, email info@nemillertonlibrary.org  or call 518-789-3340.