One Year of Social Justice

The Social Justice Reading Group (SJRG) was started in January 2017 as a joint effort between MSU faculty and the East Lansing Public Library. Inspired by the tough questions that a five-year-old was asking about topics in the news, the SJRG has blossomed into one of ELPL’s flagship programs. Over the past year, over 1100 children and their care-givers have explored topics ranging from Racial Equality to Gender Stereotypes alongside volunteer experts from throughout our community.

Over the next year, we’re preparing to look at Civil Rights, Refugees and Welcoming Communities, Women’s Rights and Gender Equality, and more. If you would like to suggest a topic for an upcoming SJRG, please contact us via the website, or at 517.351.2420.

The success of this program has been due in large part to the interest and generosity of our community partners, including;

Greater Lansing Chapter of Jack and Jill of America

MSU Department of Teacher Education

MSU College of Education

MSU Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies

MSU Lyman Briggs College

Circle K Club of MSU

Community Relations Coalition

Winter Visions

MSU Students and Faculty

Broad Art Museum

Library of Michigan

Friends of the East Lansing Public Library

Institute of Museum and Library Services

Community Members throughout the Lansing Area

A complete list of our recommended SJRG further reading titles from the first year can be found HERE, and discussion questions for each month’s readings can be found HERE.

The full list of 2017 topics include; Who is Welcome?; Racial Equality; Indigenous Peoples; Gender Stereotypes; Environmental Justice; What does a Family Look Like?; Civil Protest; Our Right to Learn; Autism; Disability; Peace and Non-Violence; Homelessness.