youth
Book Club
Welcome to the Racial Justice Learning Exchange (RJLE) Youth Book Club! Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell is excited to host this book club for youth to engage in dialogue on the importance of the select books each quarter.
Each quarter, we will read a new book. Book Club participants will be invited to engage in discussions regarding the contents of the book.
The book club selections will align with Racial Justice Learning Exchange public events focus on shared histories and current dynamics impacting racial justice.
Whether you are just starting your learning journey or you’re already a bookworm for racial justice, we look forward to your participation and are committed to supporting our collective learning!
Book of the quarter
How To Be A (Young) Antiracist
By Ibram X. Kendi and Nic Stone
How to be a (Young) Antiracist empowers teen readers to help create a more just society. Antiracism is a journey--and now young adults will have a map to carve their own path. Kendi and Stone have revised this work to provide anecdotes and data that speaks directly to the experiences and concerns of younger readers, encouraging them to think critically and build a more equitable world in doing so.
Past Book Club Events
Cinco de Mayo: An American Tradition
by Dr. David Hayes-Bautista.
The RJLE Book Club launched May 2022, featuring the book 'Cinco de Mayo: An American Tradition,' by Dr. David Hayes-Bautista.
past Book Club Selections 2022
Spring 2022
Cinco de Mayo: An American Tradition
Author:
David E. Hayes-Bautista
Summer 2022
City of Inmates: Conquest, Rebellion and the Rise of Human Caging in Los Angeles, 1771 - 1965
Author:
Kelly-Lytle Hernández
Fall 2022
Racial Fault Lines: The Historical Origins of White Supremacy in California
Author:
Tomás Almaguer
Frequently Asked Questions
The Second District Racial Justice Learning Exchange (RJLE) is an initiative of the Office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell. Founded in February 2022, RJLE brings together Second District residents along with county, civic and community leaders to learn from and celebrate our diversity, confront biases, and gain the resources to be actively anti-racist and help eliminate structural racism.
The RJLE Book Club and the RJLE Youth Book Club are the literary arm of RJLE. We are beginning 2023 with bringing this program specifically to youth and young adults with the reading of How to Be a (Young) Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi and Nic Stone.
Each quarter, our office selects a book that aligns with our RJLE initiative. This book was selected for its focus on helping youth and young adults acknowledge, identify, and dismantle racism.
Reading will begin in April and an in-person book discussion hosted by the Office of Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell will take place in May. Additional information will be shared on this event later.
If you are a teacher or community leader that is interested in encouraging youth to participate in the RJLE Youth Book Club, we ask that you encourage and prepare students to read How to Be a (Young) Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi and Nic Stone during the month of April in preparation for an in-person conversation in May with the Office of Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell. Please note there is no reading schedule, students are encouraged to read the book at their own pace.
There is no curriculum for the RJLE Youth Book Club. However, our first book selection How to be a (Young) Antiracist does have a companion workbook. More information is available on the author’s website here: https://www.ibramxkendi.com/the-young-antiracist-workbook
The book is available at the Los Angeles County Library for free as an eBook or hard copy using your library card number. Library cards may be provided at each County library. If you need help getting a library card, check out lacountylibrary.org.
The location will be announced in April.
The book is recommended for youth that are 12 years old or older and young adults.
The RJLE Youth Book Club is open to youth and young adults between the ages of 12 – 20.