RE-THINK: Social Justice Book Club

Welcome back to RE-THINK, a blog where our staff members will be sharing their thoughts and experiences working at the Br. David Darst Center. Today's post is from our Program Director Suzanne Goebel. In her post, she shares her passion for reading as well as three books that have fundamentally shaped her view of social justice. *

Since I was young, I’ve always loved reading. I have fond memories of stories and books I’ve read that helped shape the person I am and how I see the world around me. When I think back to it, many of the books I read as a child and teenager were my first introduction to social justice, understanding other people, and many of the issues of which I care deeply about.

As an adult, I still find myself drawn to books, both fiction and non-fiction, about social justice issues and perspectives I might otherwise not have access to. While serving as a Jesuit Volunteer at an after-school program, I tried with some success to share my love of reading with the middle schoolers I worked with. We spent fifteen minutes a day reading before starting programming and would often take trips to the library to check out dozens of books at a time. It was during this year that my appreciation for young adult novels deepened as I discovered many wonderful books that explored identity, social justice, and history and spoke to the students I worked with.

I wanted to share with you two wonderful young adult novels and a historical book that have moved me to think about social justice in a deeper way. I hope you find something that moves you to #seeitdifferently. Enjoy!

The Hate U Give- Angie Thomas

Starr Carter is trying to navigate her identity in the two worlds she lives in; her neighborhood plagued by poverty and violence and being one of the few black students at the primarily white/upper class prep school she attends. Everything Starr thought she knew changes the night she witnesses her childhood friend Khalil killed by the police. Khalil’s death draws national attention. The media portrays him as a gang banger and activists take to the streets to protest the injustice. Starr is the only one who knows what really happens that night and questions how her voice can be used to fight for justice. Angie Thomas’ debut novel The Hate U Give creates a nuanced space to understand and unpack issues of racism, police brutality, poverty, and different forms of activism. The Hate U Give is an important read for teens and adults wanting to understand and address systemic racism and injustices.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian- Sherman Alexi

I was first introduced to Sherman Alexi’s The Absolutely Ture Diary of a Part-Time Indian a few years ago and the story is one that has stuck with me since, prompting me to read it more than once. Partially based on Alexi’s experience as a teenager, the story follows the main character Junior as he leaves his high school on the Spokane reservation to attend an all-white high school in the neighboring town. Told from Junior’s perspective, the reader feels every emotion as Junior navigates identity, racism, love, loss, poverty, and being a teenage.

The South Side: A Portrait of Chicago and American Segregation- Natalie Y. Moore

WBEZ reporter Natalie Y. Moore examines how segregation in Chicago has shaped education systems, housing policies, gentrification, and access to food on the South Side. Moore gives a comprehensive view of both past and present factors that have created two different sides of Chicago and the implications that segregation has on every citizen of the city. Reading The South Side has given me a deeper analysis of social justice issues in Chicago and better prepared me to talk about them with the students who participate in the Darst Center’s Urban Immersion Program.

*As a reminder, all three books are available on smile.amazon.com where you can apply a percentage of your purchase towards supporting the Darst Center.