OBOM, 2006
For my first YDEV event, I attended the Open Books - Open Minds family stories reception.
From their website, Open Books – Open Minds is described as "reimagining the role of the common book at Rhode Island College. Common reading programs seek to generate intellectual and social engagement throughout the campus and help to create a sense of community, increase the vitality of academic discourse, and overall improve participants' feelings about their school." OBOM began in 2006, and is a way for students, faculty, and alumni to connect through book discussions, film screenings, and share their own writing or research based on the book.
This year, the book that was chosen was The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz. For the family stories reception, participants shared their stories about their family and history. I really enjoyed hearing these stories because it was a way to learn things about others in the community and Rhode Island College. Later in the semester when we watch Adichie's TEDtalk, The Danger of a Single Story. I thought back to this event and thought about the fact that everyone's past experiences and history help shape who they are, and until you get to know someone's full story, you don't have a complete understanding of who they are. This is especially important in youth work, because every child is unique and needs to be understood on an individual level.
More information about OBOM can be found here on the Rhode Island College website.
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