DE&I BOOK CLUB CREATES SAFE SPACE FOR LEARNING AND DISCUSSION
January 12, 2023
The Centric Brands Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee launched a book club in 2022, that is an open and inclusive space where associates come together on a bi-monthly basis to discuss books that have cultural relevance to Heritage moments throughout the year, focus on inclusion, and amplify voices that are often neglected.
The books are proposed and voted on by the Book Club members, and discussions are led by volunteer peer facilitators that rotate per book. Copies of the books are purchased from diverse, independent booksellers and are provided gratis in either a digital or printed format.
In November, in honor of Indigenous Peoples Month, members of the DE&I Book Club selected and are reading The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich, purchased from Paperbacks & Frybread Co., an indigenous family-owned bookstore with a mission to sell diverse and inclusive books.
Other titles the DE&I Book Club have read, include:
- Kindred by Octavia E. Butler in honor of Black History Month
- Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner in honor of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month
- We Have Always Been Here by Samra Habib in honor of Pride Month
- Violeta by Isabel Allende in honor of Latinx Heritage Month
The Book Club offers colleagues the chance to connect with one another in meaningful ways and creates a space to learn through storytelling to deepen our understanding of others and the world around us.
As we celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and honor his legacy, we remember his leadership in advocating for humanity, justice, service, and education. At Centric Brands, we are committed to continuing to provide spaces, like the DE&I Book Club, for associates to learn, discuss and grow as a community.
