Libraries in Bloom

Meet Amari Brown, college student studying Business Management at the University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh. She completed her apprenticeship at the Appleton Public Library in Wisconsin and was mentored by Yee Lee Vue, Adult Services and Community Engagement Librarian. Amari worked closely with Yee to design services that enhanced the library’s Small Business - Big Impact Initiative, which supports business startup, retention, and expansion efforts for people of color and immigrants.

Meet Moua Yang, senior undergrad studying English at the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay and an individual passionate about creative writing and storytelling. Moua’s background being Hmong American and working closely with youth at the Boys & Girls Club led him to participate in our library apprenticeship initiative. He completed his apprenticeship at the Elisha D. Smith Public Library in Menasha, WI and was mentored by Kirk Moore-Nokes, the Programming Supervisor at that library.

Meet Elkid Alvarez, the first Community Engagement Specialist at the Kenosha Public Library, WI. In her role, she leads a library service, Lobby Stops, that makes literacy and information more accessible for seniors. Listen to Elkid share more about the service along with her love of listening to others’ stories and helping them find information that allows them to better connect with their loved ones.

Meet Julia Wright, Youth Services and Outreach Librarian for the Alameda County Library in California. Julia fuses her passions together to bring a virtual drawing program, Doodle It, to families in her community. Julia reminds us that we are all artists in our own ways, and we don’t need to be perfect to spread creativity in our communities!

Meet Neeyati Shah, Community Engagement Librarian with the Madison Public Library in Wisconsin. Neeyati fosters community relationships and understanding of indigenous peoples and culture through the "Teejop and Beyond: Celebrating Native Nations of the Great Lakes" program. She shares how to make library programming fuse with the community in a respectful and inclusive way.

Meet Na’imah Ali, Acquisitions Lead at the Elisha D. Smith Public Library in Menasha, Wisconsin. Na'imah is also a writer, illustrator, and lover of all things creative. She published her first children’s picture book titled, “The Purple Around Us” in 2020 and shares how affordable and simple self-publishing can be.

Meet Mouna Algahaithi, Education Engagement Specialist with PBS Wisconsin. Mouna discusses an exciting professional development opportunity for library professionals to access and activate the high-quality early learning resources at PBS Kids Wisconsin.

Meet Joel Bangilan, Librarian of the Laurie and Milton Boniuk Library at the Holocaust Museum in Houston, Texas. Joel speaks more about his role, the spread of book bans, and the inequities he's seen in his 25+ years of working in libraries. With the perspective he’s gained, he encourages everyone to think about human rights and the impact of hate and genocide as a global community.

Meet Shiela Keaise, the first African American children's librarian at the Colleton County Memorial Library in South Carolina. Shiela, also known as Ms. Literacy, has built an impressive 27-year career in libraries, embracing the changes that come with the times, including YouTube. Now she considers herself a professional YouTuber! Shiela discusses the process of producing videos on YouTube to bring storytime and literacy to a broader audience.

Meet Victor Flores, Outreach Specialist with Elisha D. Smith Public Library in Menasha, Wisconsin. Victor uses his bilingualism to inform families about literacy, media, and libraries as an institution. He reminds us of the importance of having proximate leaders to create solutions that bring real change and move communities toward antiracism.