Silvia Lew (SL): We’ve not had the opportunity to speak with all of you before. Please tell us a little about yourselves (your name, current workplace, position).
SYP: Seungyeon Yang-Peace, Las Vegas-Clark County Library District (LVCCLD), Youth Services Department Head
YD: Yi Ding, California State University Northridge, Online Instruction Coordinator
JH: Jia He, Cataloging Electronic Resources Librarian, University of South Alabama
DB: Dolores Brown, Library Program Coordinator, School District of Brown Deer
JK: Jamie Kurumaji, Supervising Librarian, Fresno County Public Library
JA: Jessica Agudelo, Supervising Librarian for Children’s Services at the Bronx Library Center branch of the New York Public Library
SL: Can you tell us a bit more about “Celebrating 40 Years of Library Leadership and Beyond with the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA)!” (Project 40/40)?
SYP: This project has evolved like many things with the pandemic. As an AAPI, this project feels more personal and more important than ever. The average time for an Emerging Leaders Project is one year, this time it took two with COVIDand we have seen a lot of turmoil and resilience throughout this time. Celebrating members of the AAPI community has brought hope to an otherwise dark time. I hope this project will reflect not only the leaders of the APALA community but highlight the strength of the AAPI community in general.
SL: Have the events of the past year affected the way you approach this project?
SYP: Very much so, I feel closer and more connected with the APALA community and gained more hope through the voices within it.
JA: I am proud to be part of a project that is celebrating and elevating the AAPI community, and the events of the past year have reinforced the importance of telling the stories of our ethnic affiliate communities and celebrating those successes. We owe it to each other to hold each other up.
SL: In the course of conducting interviews for Project 40/40, was there anything that stood out to or resonated with you specifically?
SYP: Yes, Dr. Maria McCauley said, “Authentic leaders lead in an open and natural way. I believe I have grown into being a more authentic leader with experience and age. Part of my authenticity is showing all of me, as a female leader-of-color, as a working mother, as a daughter trying to also care for aging parents. I’ve had staff members share with me how meaningful it is that I lead in this way.” This is me right now, balancing, leading and trying to power through what seems to be a very dark time.
YD: I was so inspired by my email communication with Michael Lambert whose work with San Francisco Public Library I knew from news long before this project. As a new team leader, I used to romanticize leadership and was expecting him to share something very fancy. Yet, his simple words that I should just “prepare to work extremely hard and … show up every day” struck me. I now make “show up” my work motto —step in as a leader even if I am afraid, unsure, or struggling.
JH: For me, I agree with one of my interviewees, Eileen K. Bosch, when she says that leadership is creating an environment where we can all “learn and grow” together. I think COVID-19 gives us a lesson about how money, status, fame, and looks have no bearing on what happens to you, nor does it protect you in any way. At the end of the day, we are all susceptible to the same human vices, illnesses, and consequences. So let’s carry these lessons with us as we move forward so that we are better as a whole because of this experience. Let’s not make the same mistakes we have been making.
DB: One thing that stood out to me is how informal and authentic the communications I shared with people were. Despite their positions and high ranks in the field, everyone is connecting on a level that is very human in this time.
JK: I was inspired by my interviewees who did not immediately associate themselves as leaders; however, it was very clear this was not the case. This is something I think several of us have felt as new librarians and as new leaders. Leadership can be crafted in many different ways and paths. It was inspiring and truly positive to have the opportunity to speak with so many names that we have looked up to and to hear their own stories of growth.
Leadership is all about community and connecting with others. That’s a theme that stood out and definitely something that was reinforced through the work this group did for this project.
SL: Without giving too much away, what is one thing you’re most excited to share with people from Project 40/40?
SYP: The relationships I have made throughout this experience with like-minded people, similar goals and interests, and to learn more about them.
SL: For anyone who’s interested, where can they find out more about Project 40/40?
SYP: ALA Emerging Leaders presentation during the ALA 2021 Virtual Annual.
Edit: The Emerging Leaders presentation will take place on Friday, June 25, 2021 from 8-9AM CT/11AM-12PM EST. More information here.