Book-to-Action 2018 takes on immigration
Hayward Book to Action, a collaborative project of the Hayward Public Library and Cal State University East Bay, has opened its 2018 program—a series of book discussions and community events on the issue of immigration and the memoir, In the Country We Love: A Family Divided.
In the book, Diane Guerrero, the television actress from the hit shows Orange is the New Black and Jane the Virgin, presents her personal story of the real plight of undocumented immigrants in this country. Guerrero was age 14 and at school the day her parents were detained and eventually deported. Born in the United States, Guerrero was able to remain in the country, continue her education, and build a life and career, relying on the kindness of family friends but without the support system of her family.
Book-to-Action inspires readers to put new-found knowledge to work in their neighborhoods and communities. You can request a free copy of In the Country We Love, in English or Spanish, by registering for Book-to-Action at www.haywardbooktoaction.org. There, you also can request one of the limited number of free tickets to the 2018 Book-to-Action keynote event with Guerrero at 4 p.m. Feb. 22 at CSU East Bay University Theater.
Other scheduled activities and events include a “We are all Dreamers” social media campaign. It encourages people to take a selfie while holding a white-board containing a message about the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) immigration policy, and then post the image with the hashtag, #HaywardBooktoAction. On May 12, a community conversation about immigration and what it means for Hayward to be a sanctuary city is planned at Weekes Community Center and Park as part of a broader annual citywide community clean-up and civic festival still in the planning stages. This will be an opportunity for community members to collaborate with city staff to implement the newly accepted Commitment for an Inclusive, Equitable and Compassionate Community.
In 2011, the Hayward Public Library launched the first Book-to-Action program in the state of California. It was adopted by and became a statewide initiative of the California State Library and the California Center for the Book. In 2015, Hayward Book-to-Action became a joint project of the City of Hayward and CSUEB.
