About Us
We Here®️ seeks to provide a safe and supportive community for Black and Indigenous folks, and People of Color (BIPOC) in library and information science (LIS) professions and educational programs, and to recognize, discuss, and intervene in systemic social issues that have plagued these professions both currently and historically.
How do we achieve our mission?
We Here LLC was born out of private communities for those who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color who work in libraries or archives. These spaces, which have been described as a support group, collaboration network, and mentorship platform, have significantly informed our business practices.
The people in the private communities are doing the work institutions and professional organizations have not yet built into the fabric of our professions and We Here hopes to uplift, celebrate, and embed this work into our professional worlds.
We Here World:
We Here’s Projects and Programs
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The Community School
The We Here Community School seeks to provide a learning community with opportunities for personal and professional development based in anti-racist pedagogy, as well as recognizing and acknowledging systemic racism and oppression.
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Community Study
Community Study is an ongoing constellation of study groups, immersions, community learning spaces, and reading groups centered around BIPOC being and (be)coming together in study. We believe that learning and exploring together is a joyous and generative form of community (and community building) that facilitates curiosity, intimacy, and care–all of which are deeply needed now.
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We Reads
We Reads is, first and foremost, about highlighting BIPOC voices in literature. It is also deeply personal, and joyfully so: we read as our whole selves, bringing our identities and experiences with us when we enter the world of a story or poem. The works collected here have resonated with, shaped, and nourished us, changing us in ways we might not yet understand and living inside us as we once chose to live inside them.
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We Together
We Together is a mentorship program for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color within the library and archives field. The program launched in October 2020 and was created out of a need for BIPOC mentor relationships, which is often lacking in the broader library and information sciences field. The mentorship program also takes a broader look at what it means to be a mentor or mentee, forming peer-to-peer relationships and including early-career mentors and late-career mentees.
Want to Get Involved?
Consider joining our Patreon or Seed Circle community for exclusive content.
Read Our Wrap Ups
We Here Wrap Ups are a summary of the things the private space admins, project and program leaders, and contributors did during the year. The Wrap Up is always a special document for us to create because it gives us a chance to be reflective at the start of every year, giving us energy for the current year and the work ahead.
The FAQs
The Frequently Asked Questions
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That question is answered on our Contact page and the answer is no, generally speaking.
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Thanks for inquiring! You can support We Here by:
Joining our Patreon or Seed Circle communities. Membership comes with exclusive content.
Submitting a job to our member only job board.
Joining us for Community School events.
Spreading the We Here news to your workplace and colleagues and encouraging folks to sign up for our newsletter.
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We Here members might organize We Here meet ups in their hometown or while attending conferences. These events also follow our Safe Space Agreement/Code of Conduct, which is available in all private spaces.
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Please see our Terms of Service page.
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Yes! Please be aware that some events might be for private space We Here members only (which excludes Patreon and Seed Circle members) and most are open to the public. Audience will always be clearly stated on all events, but if you have any questions at all, please feel free to reach out to us at us@wehere.space. Also, we expect attendees of all events to follow our Event Code of Conduct.
How the Community Feels
“We Here keeps me in librarianship; it is the community that benefits me most in my professional development.”
— First-gen Asian American academic librarian. We Here member.
“We Here is the reason why I’m still here and feel that I belong in this profession.”
— Treshani Perera, Academic Librarian, We Here member.
“I’m a member of We Here because they’ve created a community of practice for librarians of color (LOCs) that is holistic, compassionate, and encouraging.”
— Amanda M. Leftwich, M.S.L.S., We Here member.
“If I was not a part of We Here I would have never seen this great opportunity [certificate program at Simmons College].”
— Jamia Williams, We Here member.
“We’re not alone and we’re stronger together.”
— Charlotte Roh, We Here Community Manager and member.
“I can’t think of no other equivalent in the professional world.”
— Alex Gil, We Here member.
“We Here really saved me at a time when I was feeling very isolated in the field. I barely reach out, but just knowing that there are more POC out there experiencing the same things as I do brings me comfort and a sense of community.”
— Latina academic and special librarian, We Here member.
“As a student, the We Here community has provided a safe and informative space to interact with other BIPOC within libraries and archives - it’s truly a digital sanctuary.”
— Kim Bailey, We Here member.
“We Here provides a haven and network for people of color in the library field. The members truly care about elevating each other and seeing POC succeed and be the best they can be.”
— Carly Lamphere, We Here member.
“I see we here as a launching pad for real connection.”
— Isabel Espinal, We Here member.