The Etna Community Organization, along with partners Etna Borough, Triboro Ecodistrict, and the Rivertown Library System, announced the schedule for 2022-23 community meetings.
In January 2022, we hosted an online community meeting titled "Countering Antisemitism in Etna." This incredibly moving evening served as a call to action; it gave us a new understanding of the challenges facing our community, region, and country, but also gave us confidence that we are not alone; we can stand together. We want to keep the conversation going and develop actions we can take to enact equitable change in Etna. Our work since 2018 has been focused on creating a community space where we can operate programs that knit together our social fabric, facilitate conversations around inclusion, and provide services that help to address the needs of all of our neighbors. The Etna branch of the Rivertown Libraries will be the space where we can come together to learn, to grow, and to thrive.
The library is well on its way to becoming a reality, and now is the time to shape our vision for this critical educational asset. So, throughout the year to come, these community meetings will allow us to discuss how libraries and community centers can meet the needs of residents and promote equity at the neighborhood scale. We hope that these sessions will help us to gain feedback and input from the community about what residents hope to incorporate into the programming.
ECO Board Member Alexis Boytim, who was the Executive Director of ECO during the our EcoDistrict Education series and oversaw the monthly community meetings and events, reflected on why gathering in-person as a community is so important.
"At the deepest level, this work is about connection. The Etna community has been incredibly resilient these past two years staying connected outdoors at a distance and in the virtual space, but there are limits to how far these mediums of connection can go. Nothing replaces the value of connecting with our neighbors face-to-face. It is crucial for our work, and we are ready to get back to gathering in person."
Here's the 2022-23 Library Series upcoming schedule:
Wed. 10/12 6-8PM
Wed. 11/16 6-8PM
Wed. 12/14 6-8PM
Wed. 1/25 6-8PM
Each meeting is free and open to the public, but space is limited so registration is required. The meeting will also be streamed online. Food and drink will be provided for those in-person. Please consider volunteering to support the 10/12 community meeting and sign up here.
Past meetings include:
'Vision for Etna's Library' Recap
Wed. 8/17 6-8PM