Go beyond DEI.

Get the whole library ready to work for justice.

Move from surface talk about diversity and inclusion to real, honest conversations about justice and action plans that advance equity.

Watch the video to learn more >>>

Stop juggling schedules and looking for the perfect trainer.

With this unique course, you and your library can...

  • Take the course on your own schedule, at your own pace.

  • Learn frameworks that get to the heart of social justice.

  • Adopt a shared language you can use to talk openly and honestly with one another.

  • Create plans of action to shift culture and develop practices that advance justice in your library.

What People Are Saying

about Justice at Work

I highly recommend this training!

Emma Kallok, Sonoma County Library

Specifically tailored to library staff, Justice at Work is a powerful foundation-builder for any organization that is committed to EDI and social justice. A wealth of resources are included in each chapter, along with exercises and discussions for groups to continue the conversation and apply concepts to their work. Mia Henry and her team are excellent facilitators, thoughtfully incorporating location-specific history and statistics into lesson plans to further tailor the experience. The material is relevant, necessary, and skillfully shared.

This class was invaluable in my anti-racism journey.

Tricia Ann Lee, Asst. Director, Sno-Isle Libraries

Mia's delivery is powerful using stories, history, personal references, guest speakers and other strategies to illustrate challenging topics in ways that are accessible. We took this course as a leadership team and followed it with team discussions and that made our learning even more valuable as we directly applied the concepts to our place of work, our roles as leaders and created shared meaning and vocabulary. I highly recommend this training.

Captures how the history of oppression and libraries are inextricably linked.

Frankie Haynes, Diversity and Equity Coordinator, Lawrence Public Library

It's been a struggle to find good equity focused training that is specific to libraries, so I'm always nervous that a training I'm considering won't be pertinent to library work. Justice at Work expertly captures how the history of oppression in the US and libraries are inextricably linked. I'm confident that anyone working in libraries will walk away having learned something from the course that they can go back and use in their daily work life.

Mia is a great presenter.

Joy Kim, Cambridge Public Library

I liked the mix of videos + additional resources for reading/exploration. Mia is a great presenter and brings warmth, energy, and challenge to her speaking.

This course opened my eyes further as to what I need to do to continue anti-racism work.

Chafe Hensley, Kalamazoo Public Library

[I enjoyed the course's] framework and succinct nature of the content. [It was] informative, honest, patient and [had] digestible chunks of historical reference and status quo anecdotes and experiences. This course opened my eyes further as to what I need to do to continue anti-racism work for myself and my extended community.

I want to share this learning with everyone.

Deborah Trusty, Library Director, City of Toledo, OR

I am so impressed with your approach to these subjects. I want to share this learning with everyone, so I have been recommending it to anyone who will listen.

What You Can Expect

from Justice at Work

  • Time Commitment

    4-5 hours total. Take at your own pace.

  • Video Lessons

    Enjoy short, recorded video lessons that break down content in accessible chunks, yet pose thought-provoking questions.

  • Templates and Resources

    Get access to resources to extend your learning. Download fillable templates that help you apply the frameworks to your context.

  • Discussion

    Share ideas and resources with participants from other libraries in the discussion forums.

  • Instructor Support

    Chat with Mia via Zoom each month. Schedule live virtual workshops for your library.

  • Closed Captioning

    All videos include closed captioning to support accessibility.

A Few of Our Clients

Tacoma Public Library logo
Sonoma County Library/Biblioteca logo
Grand Rapids Public Library logo
Westland Public Library logo
Boulder Public Library logo
Kalamazoo Public Library logo

Meet Your Instructor!

Instructor | Facilitator

Mia Henry

Mia Henry (she|her) is a nationally-recognized trainer, facilitator, and leadership coach. She is the CEO of Freedom Lifted, a company that provides trainings for organizations grounded in justice and equity. Previously, Mia was a founding director of the Chicago Freedom School and the executive director of the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership. She has degrees from Rutgers University and the University of Pennsylvania, as well as knowledge informed by that which has been passed on from family and ancestors, extensive travel, and the many relationships she has nurtured in communities across the U.S.

Course Overview

  • 1

    Welcome to Justice at Work!

  • 2

    Chapter 1: Connecting Identity + Power

  • 3

    Chapter 2: Understanding Oppression Part 1

    • Five Faces of Oppression: Why Diversity Is Not Enough

    • Preparing Yourself for Difficult Content

    • TEMPLATE: The Five Faces Within - Oppression in Public Libraries

    • Exploitation

    • [OPTIONAL] READING: Vocational Awe and Librarianship: The Lies We Tell Ourselves

    • Marginalization

    • [OPTIONAL] READING: White Librarianship in Blackface: Diversity Initiatives in LIS

    • Powerlessness

    • On Paulo Freire: Extended Interview and Resources

    • QUICK QUIZ: Understanding Oppression Part 1
  • 4

    Chapter 3: Understanding Oppression Part 2

    • Understanding Oppression, Part 2

    • Remember to Breathe

    • RESOURCE: What is White Supremacy?

    • Cultural Dominance

    • [OPTIONAL] READING: An “Owning Up” of White-IST Trends in LIS to Further Real Transformations

    • Harm and Violence

    • REFLECTION: How do we respond to oppression?

    • RESOURCE: A Word on Microaggressions

    • TEMPLATE: The Five Faces Within - Oppression in Public Libraries

  • 5

    Chapter 4: Working for Justice, Part 1: Resistance

    • DISCUSSION: What is the difference between resistance and solidarity?

    • Six Ways We Resist

      FREE PREVIEW

    • Escape

    • Revolt

    • Petition and Protest

    • Achievement and Success

    • Community Building

    • Defiance

    • QUICK QUIZ: Resistance in Review
  • 6

    Chapter 5: Working for Justice, Part 2: Solidarity

    • What Does Solidarity Look Like?

    • Solidarity Actions You Can Take

    • TEMPLATE - Solidarity: A Personal Commitment

    • TEMPLATE - Solidarity: A Collective Commitment (GROUP ACTIVITY)
  • 7

    What's Next?

    • Congrats and Thank You!

    • Additional Readings and Resources for Libraries

    • What's Next?

    • Before you go...

    • FREE BONUS: Idea Exchange for Public Libraries

Free Bonus Course!

Public Libraries Idea Exchange

Any participant in Justice at Work in Public Libraries gets free access to our Idea Exchange.  This bonus course features discussion forums about best practices in advancing justice and scenarios for applying a racial equity lens in public libraries. 



Course Fee

Sign up today to take this course at your own pace, on your own time. Contact us for group rates.

Bring Justice at Work to your library!

Special rates available for 10+ participants.

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