Every Thursday night from 5-6 pm a group of OCCC employees and students meet over Zoom to discuss a weekly reading.  We reflect on the writing, current events, and how the topic intersects with higher education. To join, email officeofinstruction@oregoncoast.edu.

Current Book

Caste: The Origins of our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson

Past Readings

Welcome to your Authentic Indian Experience by Rebecca Roanhorse

How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi

History

In the summer of 2020 Dan Lara, Vice President Academic Affairs Oregon Coast Community College started the book club. He stated:

We stand at a precipice – we can embrace our obligation at this moment to step into the torrent to fight against racial injustice…or let it pass us by.

He was referring to the Black LIves Matter movement and protests that came to a crescendo that summer. The very first meeting was July 16th. It was a zoom meeting, which was becoming the new norm due to the COVID 19 pandemic. This book club is one step in a series of steps that the college is making to identify, examine, and root out systemic racisim in higher education.