March’s Inclusive Reading Club focuses on women’s history, graphic novels

The Office of Multicultural Programs and Retention and the McKillop Library are inviting all staff, faculty and students to participate in March’s upcoming Inclusive Reading Club, which will be held on Wednesday, March 11, at 12:30 p.m. in McKillop Library, Room 109.

The topic for the month of March will focus on readings in celebration of Women’s History Month. With this theme in mind, the readings for the event are from three easily absorbed graphic novels that tell a range of compelling stories centering around women’s struggles and triumphs throughout history.

“Amazons, Abolitionists, and Activists: A Graphic History of Women’s Fight for Their Rights” by Mikki Kendall and A. D’Amico is a fascinating graphic novel-style primer that covers the ongoing struggle for women’s rights which has touched nearly every culture on Earth. Women’s rights reflect worldwide issues such as the right to vote, work, get an education, own property, exercise bodily autonomy and beyond — and this graphic novel helps paint the bigger story.

“Anne Frank’s Diary: The Graphic Adaptation,” adapted by Ari Folman and A. D’Amico, captures the remarkable spirit of Anne Frank, a young Jewish woman who lived and died during the Holocaust in Germany. Before her family was taken to a concentration camp, she wrote about her struggles in a diary that went on to find a worldwide readership, and the graphic novel now adds compelling visuals to her story in a way that helps make it stand out even more today.

“Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood” by Marjane Satrapi is an autobiographical work of Satrapi’s life in Tehran from ages six to fourteen. During this time, she saw the triumph of the Islamic Revolution and the devastating effects of war with Iraq. The intelligent and outspoken only child of committed Marxists and the great-granddaughter of one of Iran’s last emperors, Marjane bears witness to a childhood uniquely entwined with the history of her country.

Readings are posted on the library’s website under Course Reserves (Inclusive Reading Club). If someone can’t make it to the meeting, they can post thoughts online to Padlet, and moderators will be sure to include their comments in the discussion.

For more information about the Inclusive Reading Club, contact Rose Albert, assistant director of the Office of Multicultural Programs (rose.albert@salve.edu; (401)341-3285) or Gretchen Sotomayor, special programs and instruction librarian at McKillop Library (gretchen.sotomayor@salve.edu; (401)341-2281).

February’s Inclusive Reading Club was a discussion over Black History Month with readings from “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas and “Race Matters” by Cornel West.