A Cup of Conversation: The Living Room @ Your Library
Saturday, March 24, 2018, 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
Pennsylvania Convention Center, 103 AB
How do you translate diversity from a statistic to a city’s growth in empathy and community learning? Living Room sessions at the Houston (TX) Public Library gather neighbors together to get to know one another over international coffee and tea, and to discuss issues that affect their communities, from refugee resettlement to language exchange. Learn how the library can build social cohesion as the community’s Living Room.
An online version of this concurrent program session was also presented during the PLA 2018 Virtual Conference.
At the end of this session, participants will:
1: Learn program approaches that aim to establish roots for new community members and make diverse cultures familiar to the community
2: Understand methods of building civic engagement across communities of different demographic backgrounds
3: Identify types of partnerships and programs to welcome and address needs of immigrants and refugees
The session organizer(s) identified this session as appropriate for:
Level 1: People with no previous knowledge of the topic.
This session will have: Medium interaction (example: single speaker/panel with questions or discussion throughout)
Handouts: Download 1
Track: Collaborate
Tags: Serving Adults, Diversity, Inclusion, Outreach Services, Partnerships and Collaboration, Programming/Services
Presenters
Carmen Peña Abrego, Community Involvement Coordinator
Houston Public Library , Houston , TX
Carmen Peña Abrego is an assistant manager of library events and community programs for the Houston Public Library system (HPL). She spearheaded the launch of Houston Public Library Quarterly (HPLQ), an author series which has featured Congressman John Lewis, award-winning journalist Kirstin Downey, and best-selling author Terry McMillan, among others. She has organized LibroFEST, an annual library-sponsored Latino literary arts festival, since 2012.
Helen Chou, Senior Manager of International Services
Houston Public Library , Houston , TX
Helen Chou is the Senior Manager of International Services at the Houston Public Library, and has focused her career in public service and economic development. Before joining the Library, she served with the Singapore government supporting international non-profit organizations to expand operations across Asia. Born and raised in Houston, she is passionate about the power of Houston?s diversity, and the opportunity to make Houston home for people from all backgrounds and nations of the world.