Race & Social Justice

We participate in the Mayor’s Race and Social Justice Initiative (RSJI) to promote and support racial equity in our workplace. Our Change Team is working to make sure we hire employees and contractors from diverse backgrounds, and that we offer programs relevant to all cultures in our community.

What Is RSJI?

Seattle’s Race and Social Justice Initiative is a city-wide program that helps bring more diversity to government and organizations. It focuses on improving workplace culture, and improving communication with the many diverse cultures in our community.

We’ve created a team focused on race and social justice, and its job includes:

  • Studying how race impacts our workplace culture and processes
  • Reducing racist practices
  • Working to hire workers and contractors that reflect Seattle’s diverse cultures
  • Creating programs for our multi-cultural community
  • Communicating about our programs through neighborhood activities, or foreign-language media

How else does the Library Listen?

We hold Community Conversations to explain our upcoming plans and get your feedback. You are invited to attend these meetings and to share your experiences and suggestions, so we can design programs that meet the community’s needs.

Past Social Justice Programs

Our past programs have explored complex and multilayered issues and big questions facing our communities, include homelessness, criminal justice, environmental equity, food justice and public health. We partnered with Clear Sky Native Youth Council to create a video and social media campaign centering center Indigenous voices in environmental equity; partnered with Black Farmers Collective, EarthCorps, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, Wa Na Wari and Yes Farm to explore food justice and food sovereignty with emerging civic leaders; and created series to respond to the disparities of COVID.

Social Justice Recorded Events

Photos from Social Justice Programs

Clear Sky Native Youth Council leaders with Chief Seattle’s great grandson Ken Workman. Clear Sky interviewed Ken and other elders to raise awareness about Saving Licton Spring.
Local Indigenous youth from Clear Sky Native Youth Council visited the Seattle Room at the Central Library for interviews and research.
Clear Sky youth producers took this pic after they interviewed Indigenous environmental leader Matt Remle for their oral history project "Saving Licton Spring."
Clear Sky member Cante said that the Licton Springs project with The Seattle Public Library helped him learn how to work with cameras, interview elders and learn about Licton Springs. Pictured with Indigenous showcase mentor Shann.
Clear Sky youth leaders interviewed the honorable Chief Andy de los Angeles (Snoqualmie and Duwamish) and his daughter Sabeqwa and Thomas Speer (Duwamish) and Jackie Swanson (Muckleshoot) about Licton Springs.
BLOOM Participants 2022
Snail with BLOOM Participant 2022
BLOOM Participants 2022
BLOOM 2022
Masked participants posing with crates of apples. BLOOM cider press in Jimi Hendrix Park, 2020. Photo courtesy of Dancing in the Rain.
Two participants preparing to pour cups of apple cider. BLOOM cider press in Jimi Hendrix Park, 2020. Photo courtesy of Dancing in the Rain.
Masked participants posing for a group photo. BLOOM cider press in Jimi Hendrix Park, 2020. Photo courtesy of Dancing in the Rain.
Participant carrying a crate of apples. BLOOM cider press in Jimi Hendrix Park, 2020. Photo courtesy of Dancing in the Rain.
Two masked participants operating a cider press. BLOOM cider press in Jimi Hendrix Park, 2020. Photo courtesy of Dancing in the Rain.
Participants washing apples in buckets. BLOOM cider press in Jimi Hendrix Park, 2020. Photo courtesy of Dancing in the Rain.
Graphic with text: Indigenous Sovereignty. Art, Land, and Knowledge.

If you have a question or need help, Ask Us or call 206-386-4636.

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