Co-Creator of Libraries in Bloom, Pa Ja Yang, takes the stage to share an exciting community project she led in celebration of Hmong American Day and Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May 2021. The project, Community Chords: Engagement through Music and Art, brought the community together through a shared love of music, art, and literacy!

Meet Dominic Davis, a Black, white, Native American queer man from the eastern upper peninsula of Michigan. He is currently a Library Assistant at the Pinney Library within the Madison Public Library system in Wisconsin. Dominic sits as the co-chair of their internal Racial Equity Change Team and project manager for the BIPOC Affinity Group. Dominic gives critique and discusses progress within both internal groups.

Meet Betsy Kowal, Library Assistant in Children Services at the Appleton Public Library in Wisconsin. Betsy designs storytimes that teaches teach children to embody the power of music and connect musical elements to a culture. She hopes to break the cycle of English folklore music historically used in storytimes and ensure families that their ancestor’s music are valued and uplifted at the library.

Meet Rob Franklin, Media Projects Bubblerarian at The BUBBLER inside the Madison Public Library in Wisconsin. Rob uses his hip hop and jazz musical expertise and vocals to help teach classes on audio recording and music production in The BUBBLER's media lab. It is Rob’s passion to build a sustainable music ecosystem and a more inclusive Madison through the arts and culture.

Meet Connor Bowman, Library Associate in Youth Services at the Milwaukee Public Library in Wisconsin. For Connor’s graduate thesis, he used an equity model to audit a radio show, Wind and Rhythm. He was interested in understanding what was being programmed at concerts, specifically within wind band music, and the amount of cultural/racial representation featured. Connor shares his thesis findings and path to music librarianship.

Meet Yee Vue, Adults Services and Engagement Librarian for the Community Partnerships team at the Appleton Public Library in Wisconsin. Yee spearheads an initiative, Small Business - Big Impact, that is funded by the American Library Association’s Libraries Build Business program. The initiative connects small businesses and local entrepreneurs to library tools and supports business start up, retention, and expansion for and with people of color.

Meet Lex Gee, Library Associate for Dane County Library Service in Wisconsin. Lex has been driving a bookmobile throughout the pandemic and bringing literacy and leisure to the homes of many residents in their area. Lex shares their insider perspective on safety and the importance of bookmobiles in times when library buildings are closed to the public.

Meet Alicia Woodland, the Young Adults Services Manager for the McMillian Memorial Library in Wisconsin. Alicia runs an online gaming service centered on the game, Among Us, for children, teens, and young adults. She discusses the stigmas associated with online and video gaming along with the positive impact it has brought to families in her community.

Meet Zephyr Kendzierski, the Assistant Supervisor for the Public Services team at the Appleton Public Library in Wisconsin. Zephyr and several other team members run a successful job assistance service, Job Connections, for individuals in the Fox Cities. Job Connections helps individuals strengthen their job skills and access local employment opportunities.